Major CFB Reporter Shares Bombshell Story Shedding Light on UNLV QB's Departure

The college football world was rocked by a story surrounding the UNLV Rebels on Wednesday morning, but there may be more than meets the eye.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The biggest story in sports going around the news cycle on Wednesday morning was the sudden announcement from UNLV Rebels quarterback Matt Sluka that he would be sitting out the remainder of the season just days ahead of the conference opener with his team at 3-0.

In his statement, Sluka stated that UNLV has not held up "certain representations" that were made to him upon his decision to commit and move across the country after entering the portal from Holy Cross in Massachusetts. Naturally, a player leaving his team in the middle of the season as they sit at 3-0 with a great chance to compete in the Mountain West for reasons that were clearly NIL related set off a firestorm of reaction.

Sluka was the victim of huge amounts of criticism, called "selfish" and a "quitter" by fans across social media. But as is often the case, Sluka and his camp's side of the story has emerged, and it does not look great on the part of the Rebels.

ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel, widely seen as one of the most reliable reporters in the business, came out with a damning report on what Sluka's representatives claim occurred and why Sluka ultimately made the decision to use his redshirt and seek an opportunity elsewhere next season.

"Former UNLV QB Matthew Sluka’s NIL representation, Marcus Cromartie of Equity Sports, told ESPN that Sluka was verbally promised a minimum of $100,000 from a UNLV assistant coach for transferring there. None of that money was paid, per Cormartie," Thamel tweeted.

According to Cormartie, no effort was made by the collective to give Sluka any sort of formalized contract, and after months of efforts from him and the agency after he had already arrived on campus, they gave Sluka a $3,000 re-location stipend to cover his moving expenses. Thamel's report added that the only money Sluka has received from UNLV or the collective is the $3,000, obviously nowhere near what he was promised upon transferring.

Cormartie says that Sluka did not demand any sort of increase in pay after the hot start for UNLV like some alleged and only attempted to collect the money he was initially promised.

If true, and reality is probably somewhere in the middle, it only further reflects the ugly underbelly with regards to the state of Name, Image, and Likeness right now. Programs and collectives can essentially offer whatever they want verbally and there is no legal recourse for players without a contract in hand when they do not get what they are promised upon uprooting their entire lives and moving to a new state. On top of trying to assimilate with a new football team, learn a new playbook, and get settled in, players are having to try to collect money that they were already promised.

Sluka is likely not the last example of a player deciding to leave a high profile program in the middle of a season due to issues like this as the Wild West that is college sports in 2024 continues to be as evident as ever.