It was inevitable that a player who transferred with the hopes of securing a lucrative deal would eventually face disappointment. The first clear example of this was Jaden Rashada’s situation with Florida, where his reported $13.85 million NIL agreement fell through, leading him to Arizona State for a brief stint before he ultimately joined Georgia, Florida’s arch-rival.
UNLV and head coach Barry Odom have now become the first to see a star player step away due to unfulfilled financial promises. After losing their quarterback Jayden Maiava to USC, the Rebels recruited former Holy Cross quarterback Matthew Sluka to Las Vegas.
UNLV starting QB Matt Sluka announces he will redshirt & won’t play rest of season. “I committed to UNLV based on certain representatives that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled. Despite discussions, it became clear these commitments would not be fulfilled in…
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 25, 2024
Sluka had an impressive career at Holy Cross, amassing 5,916 passing yards, 59 passing touchdowns, 3,583 rushing yards, and 38 rushing touchdowns over four years. Under his leadership, UNLV is 3-0, with victories over Kansas, Houston, and Utah Tech. However, their good fortune seems to have run out. Late Tuesday night, Sluka announced on social media that he will redshirt for the rest of the season due to unmet NIL promises, according to Brett McMurphy.
“I have decided to utilize my redshirt year and will not be playing any additional games this season,” Sluka stated. “I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were not upheld after I enrolled. Despite discussions, it became clear these commitments would not be fulfilled. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and continued success for the program.”
This situation highlights the need for collective bargaining in college sports. It also reflects poorly on UNLV, especially as the program navigates uncertainties about its future conference, with the Pac-12 and Mountain West locked in a legal dispute.
UNLV is set to open Mountain West Conference play against Fresno State on Saturday.
