September 13, 2024; Kansas City, KS, USA; UNLV Rebels quarterback Matthew Sluka (3) runs the ball with Kansas Jayhawks safety OJ Burroughs (5) during the second half at Children's Mercy Park. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Not many people leave Las Vegas with more money than when they came. This is especially true if you are under 21 years old.
UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka is leaving Las Vegas after helping the Rebels to an undefeated 3-0 start.
Sluka released a statement on social media early Wednesday morning explaining that he would miss the remainder of the season.
“My decision to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas was based on certain representations that were made to me that were not supported upon my enrollment,” Sluka said. “Despite discussions, it became clear that these Promises will not be fulfilled in the future.”
College football analyst Carl Reed Jr. reported that despite this statement, Sluka's financial commitment was met by the university. However, after big wins against Houston and Kansas, his family hired an agent and believed his market value had increased.
Welcome to the world we live in.
Reports later Wednesday morning confirmed that Sluka was approached with a request to transfer more funds. He is indeed no longer playing for the Rebels and will be transferring.
ESPN's Adam Rittenberg spoke with Sluka's father, Bob, who claimed that UNLV never paid his son anything. Bob claims his son's agent reached a pro bono agreement with the university back in February, but he never received any payment. In fact, he claimed his son's living expenses weren't even paid, which is highly unorthodox for a high-profile college athlete who plays sports on scholarship.
Maybe Sluka fudged the truth in his statement and now his family is doing some damage control. Maybe the athletic department leaked false information in the middle of the night about his family hiring an agent. Maybe the university really did squeeze him out of the promised money. Regardless of what actually happens, this doesn't look good for Sluka or UNLV. Head coach Barry Odom is now without his starting quarterback, no matter what exactly is going on behind the scenes.
College athletes should be compensated for their name, image and likeness. But it has officially taken on a new life of its own. College football currently has a period of unrestricted free agency. These athletes can find loopholes to avoid competing because they feel their market value increases after winning a few games.
It was only a matter of time before the NCAA stepped in and put an end to this madness. Someone is lying here. Either the school never compensated Sluka despite its promises to him, or he was truly out of there chasing more money.
Imagine if, in the NFL, an underpaid quarterback like Brock Purdy could tell the San Francisco 49ers: “No. You don't have enough money for me. I'm going to wait and see until I can get out of this.” Good luck to my teammates in the offseason.
But for a team like the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, they were screwed. Their starting quarterback gave up on them three weeks into the season because he wanted to chase more money.
This is not what amateur athletics is about. That's not even what professional sports is about, agents and athletes have to wait for a dedicated period of free agency before jumping to a new team.