When college football effectively turned into a business, many were concerned that it was only a matter of time before all of its players started making business — and only business — decisions.
An ugly situation in Las Vegas is proving those worriers correct.
For night owl and insomniac college football fans, the late hours of Tuesday were momentous because the starting quarterback of the undefeated UNLV Rebels spontaneously announced that he had abruptly left his team.
— Matthew Sluka (@MatthewSluka) September 25, 2024
“I have decided to utilize my redshirt year and will not be playing any additional games this season,” quarterback Matthew Sluka posted to X late Tuesday. “I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled.
“Despite discussions, it became clear these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future.
“I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope for the continued success of the program.”
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That announcement came as UNLV is enjoying a spotless 3-0 record, with Sluka leading the team in both passing yards and rushing yards.
Normally, anytime a prized — or even not-that-prized — quarterback leaves a college football program, it has to do with a lack of playing time or being buried on a depth chart.
Sluka’s situation obviously doesn’t echo that, at all.
Instead, Sluka’s issue with UNLV appears to have to do with that aforementioned NIL money — as well as other benefits.
Because of the oddity of a starting college quarterback suddenly ditching an undefeated team, social media was awash with reactions to Sluka’s plight.
Some, like college football analyst Danny Kanell told fans to simply accept this as the new normal:
A starting QB of a 3-0 team very much in the playoff race bails on his team the week of a huge conference matchup. Announces his exit with a tweet at 12:36am. All over an NIL dispute.
Welcome to college football in 2024.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) September 25, 2024
Others, like longtime football coach and X user Jim Shapiro, called college football “broken.”
The game of football is officially broken.
NIL, transfer portal, 6th year seniors, high school kids being offered money to play college ball or transferring 2-3 times between freshmen – senior year in high school, youth select travel teams, personal trainers making more money…
— Jim Shapiro (@jimshapiro) September 25, 2024
“Football was once built on the foundation of commitment, grit, finish what you start no matter the cost,” Shapiro lamented. “We should apologize now to future employers, wives, and children for the young men that are learning to quit or leave when things are difficult or times get tough.”
Conflicting reports further muddied the controversial situation.
Some on social media were reporting that all financial commitments were “completely met” and that the family had re-evaluated Sluka’s NIL worth with an agent.
All financial commitments for UNLV QB Matthew Sluka were completely met.
But after wins against KU and Houston, Sluka’s family hired an agent and they collectively feel that his market value has increased, per source. pic.twitter.com/CKpjDNxMxK
— Carl Reed Jr. (@CoachReedLive) September 25, 2024
Sluka’s father disputed those claims, which ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported on:
“They keep deferring, ‘We don’t know. You have to wait,’” Bob Sluka told me. “Then it was like, ‘We’re going to give him game checks.’ So we’re like, ‘OK, great.’ We did not ask for a single dollar [more].”
Sluka added that Matt’s living expenses weren’t even covered. https://t.co/Dsl5EbGW7v
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) September 25, 2024
According to Sluka’s father, his son did not receive the money he was supposed to get, with the school constantly “deferring” those payments. The family also claimed it did not “ask for a single dollar” more.
“Matt’s living expenses weren’t even covered,” Rittenberg added.
Whatever the truth of this matter is, it probably will be a more and more common issue as college football becomes awash with NIL money.
This “he said, he said”-situation brewing in Las Vegas looks like just the tip of the iceberg.
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