Graney: Matthew Sluka’s departure could be blessing in disguise for UNLV

UNLV star linebacker Jackson Woodard responded to a tweet Wednesday afternoon. It was a picture of senior quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams in full uniform holding a ball with the caption QB1.

Above it, Woodard wrote: Bout time! Let’s ride!

Strong statement from the team captain.

In other words, good riddance, Matthew Sluka.

Sluka, the Rebels’ starting quarterback, left the team Tuesday night over claims of unfulfilled name, image and likeness verbal promises made to him during the recruiting process. An agent representing Sluka reportedly said the player was offered $100,000 by an assistant coach.

The school’s NIL collective said via statement that no formal offers were made during the player’s recruitment. That the collective did not agree to any NIL offers when Sluka was part of the team, aside from an already completed community engagement.

It appears his teammates aren’t crying over the departure, though I can’t believe many had issue with a quarterback who was 3-0 before all this occurred.

But several tweeted out the No. 6 of Williams — the transfer who will take over the starter’s role.

Crazy. This could all be a blessing in disguise.

Illusion of athletics

It’s true. There is no loyalty in sports. And yet what this all does is chip away at the illusion of college athletics. Fans want to believe Joe Football is still wearing a letterman’s jacket while spending his free time at the library and preparing for Friday night’s pep rally. He’s not.

He’s a paid mercenary who cares most about money. And that’s fine. That’s capitalism.

It’s also the latest example that this is no longer about education or representing a university and your fellow students. This is the appeal of college sports.

But at what point does the bigger picture come into play? Or is that concept dead and buried?

Is there one anymore?

In truth, Sluka abandoned a team in the middle of its best season in 40 years, a program and student body and community starving for football success.

He was handed the keys to all of it, having led the Rebels to a national ranking for the first time in program history. A team with a real chance at qualifying for the College Football Playoff. And he bolted. Cleaned out his locker and was gone just days before the conference opener. Reports also suggested he approached coaches desiring even more money given the team’s fast start. His side has denied those claims.

Could have been the toast of the town, really.

It’s easy to understand why teammates were so upset. Football is the ultimate team game. The whole idea about a band of brothers all pulling in the same direction. No. They really believe that stuff. Practice on it. Play on it.

And perhaps now coach Barry Odom knows how much a leader his quarterback really was.

The main problem here is the verbal part of any agreement. That could mean all sorts of things. Was it a straight offer of $100,000? Or was there just the insinuation that performance might lead to a larger NIL payout? Was there such a six-figure offer at all?

Sluka undoubtedly believed so. But we often don’t know the difference between what a coach says and what a kid hears.

This is the main issue with NIL not being regulated. There are signed contracts for services athletes must perform, but verbal conversations (offers) occur at all schools across the country.

It’s more than a slippery slope.

Teams will want him

I suppose there is another side to it. Might be tough to blame a kid for wanting more cash when the university he attends is in the midst of deciding if it wants to remain in a conference it helped form, and all over money.

Sluka is a fine college player, a far better runner than passer. And he will have offers out of the transfer portal. Might even come with some big dollar figures.

I would suggest, then, both sides get everything in writing before he steps foot on another campus.

There very well could be issues with UNLV’s collective that need to be addressed.

Sluka could have raised such red flags with all of this.

But as it is, he bolted from UNLV and his teammates three games into what could prove the most successful season in school history. Cleaned out his locker and was gone.

A blessing in disguise, is right.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.