‘I feel a sense of hunger,’ Barry Odom says of his UNLV football team

UNLV football coach Barry Odom said Monday the program isn’t where it wants to be despite recent national recognition.

“I feel a sense of hunger, trying to achieve,” Odom said during his weekly news conference of the energy from the team.

“We want to really capture the thought of trying to get as good as we can be, and we know that we’re not there. We do have a motivated team. We’ve got a mature team that’s looking forward to the next opportunity, and they understand what lies ahead and how good we need to get to have a chance to play winning ball.”

The Rebels (4-0) received the program’s first-ever ranking in The Associated Press poll Sunday, getting voted to the No. 25 spot in a tie with Texas A&M.

The milestone came after sixth-year Campbell transfer Hajj-Malik Williams made a promising debut in the Rebels’ 59-14 win over Fresno State on Saturday in the wake of former starting quarterback Matthew Sluka’s abrupt exit from the team.

Williams completed 13 of 16 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 119 yards and a score.

The performance in his first FBS start garnered two national accolades. Williams appeared on this week’s Dave O’Brien Award Great 8 list and was also named one of eight Manning Stars of the Week.

On Monday, Odom rebuffed a question about the impact of Sluka’s exit, saying the offense was prepared to incorporate Williams or Cameron Friel.

“I’ve said it over and over. I thought we had three quarterbacks that played winning ball,” Odom said. “We don’t change the plan (without Sluka), because we thought all three were very similar in what they could do.”

Praise for offensive line

Odom also praised the offensive line for their performance. Saturday’s 59 points were the most UNLV has scored against a conference opponent in a regulation game. It took triple overtime for the Rebel to score more against a Mountain West team, when they racked up 69 points against Wyoming in 2016 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

“We did a great job establishing a lot of scrimmage with the offensive line play,” Odom said. “I thought we were able to run the ball. Getting over 250 yards rushing usually means our offensive line’s blocking well.”

Odom added that the receivers did some crucial blocking. But Ricky White III, the team’s star wideout, wants to see his teammates get paid.

Following Saturday’s win, White snatched the mic to say that Circa CEO Derek Stevens, who wanted to pay Sluka the $100,000 he claimed the university owed him, should instead pay the offensive line.

Senior center Jack Hasz was amenable to the idea Monday, smiling as he said he should be the one to decide how the funds are divided because he’s an economics major.

“I think a lot of people played it off as a joke, just because they don’t necessarily know (White) and his mannerisms,” Hasz said. “But when (White) talks, the team listens, He doesn’t talk a whole lot, so that’s awesome that he would consider that. Especially after the game that we had, it’s awesome to get the recognition. And obviously, you know where I stand.”

Contact Callie Fin at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.