UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka leaving team amid playoff push
.png)
UNLV’s path to the |A|
playoffs became more perilous |B|
Tuesday, as starting quarterback |C|
Matthew Sluka announced he |D|
is leaving the team |E|
effective immediately. Sluka, a fifth-year |F|
senior, posted on social |G|
media that he intends |H|
to redshirt the rest |J|
of the 2024 season |K|
and preserve his final |L|
year of eligibility: “I have |M|
decided to utilize my |O|
redshirt year and will |P|
not be playing in |Q|
any additional games this |R|
season,” Sluka wrote. “I |S|
wish my teammates the |U|
best of luck this |V|
season and hope for |Y|
the continued success of |Z|
the program.” The move comes |A|
just four days before |B|
UNLV is set to |C|
host Fresno State at |D|
Allegiant Stadium in the |E|
opening game of Mountain |F|
West play. After winning a |G|
protracted training camp battle, |H|
Sluka started the first |J|
three contests and helped |K|
UNLV to a 3-0 |L|
start, positioning the Scarlet |M|
and Gray as legitimate |O|
contenders for a College |P|
Football Playoff berth. Sluka |Q|
was especially impressive in |R|
a 23-20 victory at |S|
Kansas on Sept. 13, |U|
leading a game-winning drive |V|
in the fourth quarter. Following |Y|
the Kansas win, UNLV |Z|
entered the USA Today |A|
Coaches Poll at No. |B|
25, the first time |C|
the program had ever |D|
been ranked. On Sunday, |E|
UNLV moved up two |F|
spots to No. 23. Sluka |G|
transferred to UNLV from |H|
Holy Cross, where he |J|
amassed video-game numbers as |K|
a passer and runner. |L|
Over the first three |M|
games of the 2024 |O|
campaign, he completed 43.8% |P|
of his passes for |Q|
318 yards and six |R|
touchdowns; he was more |S|
effective with his legs, |U|
rushing for 253 yards |V|
and a touchdown. Against Kansas, |Y|
Sluka carried 19 times |Z|
for a team-high 124 |A|
yards. With Sluka bailing, UNLV |B|
will likely turn to |C|
No. 2 quarterback Hajj-Malik |D|
Williams as the starter |E|
against Fresno State. Williams |F|
pushed for the No. |G|
1 job throughout the |H|
offseason and looked sharp |J|
in the spring game, |K|
where he completed 14-of-22 |L|
passes for 227 yards |M|
with three touchdowns and |O|
no interceptions. As a fifth-year |P|
senior, Sluka is eligible |Q|
to enter the portal |R|
at any time and |S|
is likely to have |U|
multiple suitors vying for |V|
his services. Players are |Y|
allowed to appear in |Z|
up to four games |A|
in a season and |B|
still maintain redshirt status, |C|
so Sluka will have |D|
one year of college |E|
eligibility remaining. In his post |F|
announcing his departure from |G|
UNLV, Sluka alluded to |H|
issues with NIL payments |J|
as the reason for |K|
his exit. “I committed to |L|
UNLV based on certain |M|
representations that were made |O|
to me, which were |P|
not upheld after I |Q|
enrolled,” he wrote. “Despite |R|
discussions, it became clear |S|
that these commitments would |U|
not be fulfilled in |V|
the future.”
