After Matthew Sluka announced that he would no longer be on the UNLV football team, the McCoys’ 1965 hit, “Hang On Sloopy,” kept playing in my head. Sluka left the team because he had not been paid $100,000 in a verbal NIL agreement with a UNLV assistant coach. The Odyssey notes that this is Sluka’s version of the story. While we have no reason to doubt his version, we believed that leaving UNLV was not in the QB’s best interests.
Sluka bailed after 4 games so he could preserve his “redshirt” year. Since Sluka had previously starred in his previous 4-year stint at FCS Holy Cross, this is not somebody with multiple remaining years of eligibility. In 2025, who will pay Sluka for a 1-year gig after he bailed on the unbeaten Rebels in 2024?
The Odyssey felt Sluka’s best interest was to stay the course in Las Vegas, especially since this edition of the UNLV Rebels holds so much promise. WIth 2 Power 4 scalps already in hand (Houston and Kansas), UNLV has a real chance to claim the Group of 5 slot in the upcoming 12-team playoff.
But Sluke chose not to hang on. ESPN luminary Rece Davis felt the same way as the Odyssey about Sluka’s abrupt exit.
Sluka bailed before yesterday’s pivotal Moutain West game against Fresno State. The football gods laughed uproariously! Sluka was not missed at all. His replacement, Campbell transfer Hajj-Malik Williams, actually proved to be a very competent passer against Fresno State. Sluka, while an extremely adept runner, was not Dan Marino in the passing game as had been completing less than half of his passes. This morning, UNLV fans are collectively saying to Sluka, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, sucker!”
The Odyssey is extra happy for UNLV because this is the 2nd surprise bailout by a starting UNLV QB in 2024. In 2023, the Rebel QB was Jaden Maiava. He threw for 3,000+ yards and was honored as 2nd team Mountain West QB and league Freshman of the Year. Maiava bailed for greener pastures (and probably some green) at USC. OOPS! Maiava is now catching pine time at the Coliseum behind stud QB Miller Moss. Sluka should have called Maiava before making his fateful decision. The grass is not always greener elsewhere. Sluka chose not to hang on.