.Max Olson, ESPN Personnel WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Major 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the Educational Institution of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV made a declaration Sunday in its own initial activity without former beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are mosting likely to be actually only fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 gain Fresno Condition as well as moving to 4-0, UNLV verified it'll be actually a challenger in the Mountain range West competition despite its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 gardens, rushed for 119 backyards and also accounted for 4 overall touchdowns in his 1st begin for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave the program on Wednesday over a dispute concerning his NIL settlement." It was organization as usual," UNLV train Barry Odom mentioned. "Our company've acquired a quite fully grown group. ... Our gamers, our company have actually got strong leadership. They recognize the objective that our team're on and they received it performed." Williams, a sixth-year senior as well as FCS transfer coming from Campbell, signed up with the Rebels in January and also dropped a close competitors along with Sluka in autumn camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving as the program's job innovator in passing backyards and touchdowns, and also awaited his opportunity." I thought he worked, I assumed he was actually effective," Odom claimed. "I thought the offensive line performed an incredible job shielding him. I thought the recipients ran wonderful courses. I assumed the runners operated hard. Our experts participated in well as an outburst." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 lawns and pair of goals as well as said the quarterback improvement was actually "absolutely great for our company."" He's simply a fantastic quarterback that our team, as an outburst, our company can rally at the back of and also just pass his pace," White said.After starting 3 ready UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and also is anticipated to enter into the move gateway in December. Sluka's daddy as well as representative have actually declared he was vocally assured $100,000 by UNLV offensive organizer Brennan Marion throughout his recruitment yet acquired only $3,000 from the school's NIL collective. UNLV stated in a statement that Sluka's reps made monetary demands for him to always keep participating in that it took "an infraction of NCAA pay-for-play regulations, along with Nevada condition law." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom reviewed coming from a well prepared claim during the course of his postgame press conference as well as did certainly not take questions relating to Sluka. He claimed UNLV observed relevant regulations as well as is committed to the development and excellence of every player in the plan." Several have revealed incredibly strong point of views about the events of last week without full know-how of the facts, without total know-how of the events of last week and without complete expertise of the rules in the ever-changing, evolving NIL unit," Odom claimed. "As well as unfortunately, some have also utilized this situation as a platform for their very own programs. I recognize every person's right to a point of view, as well as I won't talk about others' opinions or even their motivations for showing all of them." White also possessed a notification for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega casino site conveyed interest in supplying $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the group, saying to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing this would certainly deserve it "to keep the Rebels' playoff really hopes to life."" I will ask that somebody communicate to the Circa chief executive officer and also ask him, keeping that $100,000 that he desired to donate, give it to our O-line feel free to," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing streak against Fresno Condition and achieved the plan's initial 4-0 start since 1976 with a powerful time in all 3 periods of the video game. Their self defense produced 4 interceptions as well as four sacks while permitting only 30 rushing lawns, and also their unique teams supplied a shut out punting that White came back for a touchdown in the first quarter plus a 90-yard kickoff profit touchdown by Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The success always keeps UNLV in the race for the grown 12-team College Regulation football Playoff as well as ends a disorderly full week for a sports team that was actually concurrently managing the current round of event adjustment in college athletics.UNLV officially decided to remain in the Mountain West on Thursday, turning down a transfer to the Pac-12 complying with that organization's enhancement of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno Condition, San Diego Condition as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The 7 continuing to be universities in the Mountain West agreed to a give of legal rights that will certainly tie all of them to the event by means of 2031-32. After already defeating Huge 12 participants Houston as well as Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets another chance to take down an Energy 4 rival and strengthen its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our guys will definitely flip the webpage actually promptly," Odom mentioned. "I can inform in the closet space we prepare to accomplish that as well as get on to the next game.".