.Max Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Large 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the Educational Institution of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV made a claim Sunday in its own very first game without previous starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually mosting likely to be actually merely fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 gain Fresno Condition as well as relocating to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be a challenger in the Hill West competition no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 backyards, hurried for 119 lawns and also made up 4 overall goals in his initial begin for the Rebels after Sluka decided to leave behind the system on Wednesday over an issue concerning his NIL settlement." It was actually business as usual," UNLV instructor Barry Odom mentioned. "Our team've obtained a very mature team. ... Our gamers, we have actually got tough leadership. They understand the objective that our team perform and they acquired it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly as well as FCS transmission coming from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January as well as lost a near competition along with Sluka in autumn camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving as the program's career leader in passing gardens as well as touchdowns, and was ready for his possibility." I assumed he was effective, I assumed he was actually efficient," Odom said. "I believed the annoying line performed a tremendous task safeguarding him. I thought the recipients operated fantastic paths. I presumed the runners ran hard. We participated in effectively as an offense." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 catches for 127 gardens and also two touchdowns and stated the quarterback adjustment was "undoubtedly helpful for us."" He is actually just an excellent quarterback that our company, as an outburst, we may rally at the rear of and simply go by his pace," White said.After starting 3 ready UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and also is actually counted on to get in the move gateway in December. Sluka's father as well as broker have actually alleged he was actually verbally promised $100,000 by UNLV offending planner Brennan Marion during the course of his employment but got just $3,000 from the college's NIL cumulative. UNLV mentioned in a claim that Sluka's agents made economic requirements for him to always keep playing that it interpreted as "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play rules, in addition to Nevada state legislation." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom checked out coming from an equipped statement during his postgame news conference and performed certainly not take inquiries pertaining to Sluka. He pointed out UNLV complied with appropriate guidelines and is committed to the growth and also effectiveness of every player in the program." Several have actually shown extremely powerful point of views concerning the occasions of last week without full knowledge of the realities, without full expertise of the celebrations of last week and also without full knowledge of the rules in the ever-changing, evolving NIL unit," Odom claimed. "As well as sadly, some have actually also utilized this circumstance as a system for their own agendas. I value everyone's right to a point of view, and I won't talk about others' opinions or even their inspirations for expressing all of them." White likewise possessed a notification for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega casino site showed rate of interest in using $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the crew, saying to the Sin city Review-Journal that accomplishing this would certainly cost it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff wishes alive."" I would inquire that a person communicate to the Circa chief executive officer as well as ask him, with that said $100,000 that he would like to give away, give it to our O-line satisfy," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch versus Fresno Condition and also accomplished the course's very first 4-0 start given that 1976 along with a sturdy time in all 3 stages of the game. Their defense produced 4 interceptions and 4 sacks while allowing merely 30 hurrying backyards, and also their unique groups supplied a shut out punt that White came back for a goal in the initial one-fourth plus a 90-yard first yield touchdown by Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The victory maintains UNLV in the race for the grown 12-team University Regulation football Playoff and wraps up a disorderly week for an athletic department that was simultaneously coping with the most recent round of event realignment in college athletics.UNLV formally made a decision to remain in the Hill West on Thursday, disapproving a move to the Pac-12 adhering to that league's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego Condition and also Utah Condition for 2026. The 7 staying colleges in the Mountain West consented to a grant of civil liberties that will definitely bind them to the event via 2031-32. After currently beating Big 12 members Houston as well as Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV receives another option to take down a Power 4 challenger as well as enhance its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our individuals are going to flip the page truly quickly," Odom pointed out. "I can inform in the locker space our team're ready to carry out that and also climb on to the next activity.".