News broke the internet out of Las Vegas and it wasn’t about Boxing, NFL, or even the UFC; but about UNLV Football. The Rebels are 3-0 heading into this weekend for the first time since the 80’s and they just learned they’ll be without their starting quarterback Matthew Sluka.
Sluka came into UNLV as a transfer from the portal. Drawn to Las Vegas because of a promised $100,000 NIL deal that hasn’t been received. Sluka claims that an assistant for the Rebels promised the deal, while others are saying Sluka price went up due to the 3-0 start.
Although both stories can be plausible, it really doesn’t matter since Sluka has decided to sit on the sideline. Due to the redshirt rules in place by the NCAA, players can play up to 4 games before opting to redshirt.
Needless to say, the NCAA and the new normal of NIL is still a work and progress. There’s no true oversight of the transactions and promises being made to have these athletes sign on the dotted line. College football is still a sport of the haves and have nots.
Sluka’s situation is an error from one of the have nots. Promising more than what you can afford. Ultimately, this is a situation every program in country should pay close attention to. Knowing that players can choose to leave a program even as a starter over a broken promise or unsatisfied playing time during the season would need more regulations.
While the players have benefitted greatly from the new transfer rules and NIL era, the coaches and administrators are working overtime to build and keep their rosters year after year. A complaint most coaches have said is a huge issue.
