.Max Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Major 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV made a claim Saturday in its first activity without previous beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually going to be actually only fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 sway Fresno Condition and relocating to 4-0, UNLV proved it'll be actually a competitor in the Mountain range West race regardless of its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 gardens, hurried for 119 backyards and also represented four complete goals in his first beginning for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave behind the system on Wednesday over a dispute regarding his NIL settlement." It was actually organization as usual," UNLV train Barry Odom said. "Our team have actually got an incredibly mature group. ... Our gamers, our experts have actually obtained solid management. They comprehend the mission that our company perform as well as they received it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and also FCS transactions from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January and dropped a near competition with Sluka in loss camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 video games at Campbell, leaving as the course's profession forerunner in passing yards and also goals, and also was ready for his option." I thought he was effective, I presumed he was actually dependable," Odom pointed out. "I believed the annoying line carried out a significant project guarding him. I thought the receivers ran excellent courses. I believed the joggers ran hard. We played well as an outburst." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 backyards as well as 2 goals and stated the quarterback adjustment was "most definitely suitable for our company."" He is actually merely a terrific quarterback that our team, as an outburst, we can rally at the rear of and also merely go by his pace," White said.After starting three ready UNLV, Sluka chose to redshirt as well as is actually counted on to get in the move portal in December. Sluka's daddy and agent have actually alleged he was verbally assured $100,000 by UNLV outrageous coordinator Brennan Marion throughout his employment however received only $3,000 coming from the school's NIL cumulative. UNLV claimed in a declaration that Sluka's reps created financial requirements for him to always keep playing that it interpreted as "an offense of NCAA pay-for-play guidelines, and also Nevada state legislation." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom reviewed from a ready claim during the course of his postgame press conference as well as carried out not take concerns concerning Sluka. He mentioned UNLV abided by relevant regulations and is actually dedicated to the growth and success of every gamer in the plan." Several have actually revealed really powerful point of views regarding the occasions of recently without total knowledge of the realities, without total expertise of the occasions of last week as well as without total expertise of the rules in the ever-changing, developing NIL body," Odom pointed out. "And also regrettably, some have actually even used this circumstance as a platform for their personal plans. I recognize everyone's right to a viewpoint, and I won't comment on others' viewpoints or even their motivations for showing them." White additionally had a message for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas casino conveyed interest in providing $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the group, saying to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing so will cost it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff wishes alive."" I would certainly inquire that somebody connect to the Circa CEO and also ask him, keeping that $100,000 that he desired to give, inflict our O-line satisfy," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing touch versus Fresno State and also attained the system's initial 4-0 beginning due to the fact that 1976 with a strong time in each three stages of the activity. Their self defense generated 4 interceptions and four sacks while permitting only 30 hurrying lawns, and their special teams delivered a shut out punt that White returned for a goal in the 1st one-fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff gain goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The victory keeps UNLV in the race for the extended 12-team University Soccer Playoff as well as wraps up a chaotic full week for a sports department that was actually concurrently taking care of the most up to date around of conference realignment in university athletics.UNLV officially chose to remain in the Mountain range West on Thursday, turning down a transfer to the Pac-12 observing that league's addition of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno Condition, San Diego State and also Utah Condition for 2026. The seven remaining universities in the Mountain West accepted a grant of legal rights that will certainly bind all of them to the event through 2031-32. After actually defeating Significant 12 participants Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV obtains another option to take down an Energy 4 rival as well as reinforce its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it hosts 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our guys are going to flip the web page truly swiftly," Odom mentioned. "I could inform in the closet area our team're ready to accomplish that as well as hop on to the upcoming game.".