.Max Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the Educational Institution of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV made a statement Sunday in its own 1st game without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are visiting be simply fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 sway Fresno State and relocating to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually a contender in the Hill West race no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, rushed for 119 backyards and represented 4 total goals in his first begin for the Rebels after Sluka decided to leave the system on Wednesday over a conflict concerning his NIL payment." It was actually service as usual," UNLV coach Barry Odom mentioned. "Our company've acquired a very mature crew. ... Our players, our team've acquired strong management. They comprehend the objective that our experts perform as well as they acquired it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and FCS transmission from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January as well as dropped a close competitors with Sluka in autumn camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving as the program's job forerunner in passing gardens and also goals, as well as awaited his opportunity." I assumed he worked, I believed he was efficient," Odom mentioned. "I presumed the outrageous line carried out a significant task protecting him. I thought the receivers operated great routes. I thought the joggers operated hard. Our company played properly as an outburst." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 catches for 127 backyards and also 2 touchdowns as well as mentioned the quarterback improvement was "certainly helpful for our company."" He's just a terrific quarterback that our team, as an outburst, our experts can move at the back of and just go by his speed," White said.After starting 3 games for UNLV, Sluka decided to redshirt and is actually expected to get into the move portal in December. Sluka's father as well as agent have declared he was verbally vowed $100,000 through UNLV offensive planner Brennan Marion in the course of his employment yet received just $3,000 coming from the school's NIL collective. UNLV said in a claim that Sluka's representatives made economic needs for him to maintain playing that it took "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play guidelines, as well as Nevada condition legislation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom read coming from a prepared statement in the course of his postgame news conference and did not take questions regarding Sluka. He mentioned UNLV followed applicable policies as well as is actually devoted to the advancement as well as results of every gamer in the program." Many have conveyed quite solid viewpoints about the activities of recently without total know-how of the facts, without total know-how of the events of last week as well as without complete understanding of the regulation in the ever-changing, advancing NIL body," Odom mentioned. "As well as unfortunately, some have actually even used this circumstance as a platform for their personal schedules. I respect everybody's right to a point of view, and also I won't discuss others' point of views or their inspirations for revealing them." White likewise possessed a notification for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling establishment showed passion in providing $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the team, informing the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing so would certainly be worth it "to always keep the Rebels' playoff really hopes alive."" I would certainly talk to that somebody communicate to the Circa CEO and also inquire him, with that said $100,000 that he desired to give away, inflict our O-line satisfy," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing touch versus Fresno Condition and also obtained the program's initial 4-0 begin since 1976 along with a strong day in every three stages of the activity. Their self defense produced four interceptions and also 4 sacks while enabling simply 30 rushing backyards, and also their special teams provided a shut out punting that White returned for a goal in the initial quarter plus a 90-yard first return touchdown by Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The success maintains UNLV in the race for the extended 12-team University Football Playoff and concludes a chaotic week for a sports department that was all at once dealing with the most recent round of conference adjustment in university athletics.UNLV formally chose to continue to be in the Hill West on Thursday, disapproving a transfer to the Pac-12 complying with that game's enhancement of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego Condition as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The seven remaining institutions in the Mountain West consented to a give of civil liberties that will definitely tie them to the conference via 2031-32. After actually defeating Significant 12 members Houston as well as Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV receives another possibility to take down a Power 4 challenger and also boost its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it throws 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our men will definitely turn the web page really rapidly," Odom mentioned. "I can tell in the closet area our team prepare to carry out that as well as get on to the following video game.".