LAS VEGAS — Hajj-Malik Williams walked onto the Allegiant Stadium turf Saturday as a thriller and left it as a revelation. However not earlier than calling for an important photograph op.
UNLV’s new beginning quarterback shouted at his new backup, Cameron Friel, to re-route from greeting acquainted faces within the stands. So Friel hustled again to midfield. The 2 signal-callers slung their arms round offensive analyst Kenneth Service provider. And those that stayed memorialized the second.
After a 59-14 dismantling of Fresno State on the finish of some of the tumultuous weeks in program historical past, with the unknown Williams trying like a season savior, it’s unimaginable to depend what number of phrases that image was value. In his first-ever begin on the FBS stage, stepping in for a starter who stop midweek, Williams accomplished 13 of 16 passes for 182 yards and three scores whereas including a team-high 119 dashing yards and one other landing on the bottom.
Williams wasn’t made out there for interviews after the sport, however his factors had been beforehand made. UNLV’s vaunted “Go-Go” offense blew by means of all cease indicators, irrespective of who’s underneath heart. A program off to its first 4-0 begin since 1976 nonetheless sizes up a historic season that would finish with a Cinderella bid to the 12-team School Soccer Playoff.
“Everybody knew what we had in Hajj,” UNLV coach Barry Odom stated. “Initially of fall camp, I stated quite a few occasions, we’ve got three quarterbacks on this roster that may play successful soccer. And I nonetheless stand by that.”
It’s infamously down to 2, now, in fact. Earlier beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka abruptly walked away from this system earlier within the week, firing off claims of unmet Identify, Picture and Likeness guarantees, and a crew eyeing the most effective season in program historical past had itself a tire blowout.
Williams, a switch from FCS Campbell, left that college as its all-time chief in go yards (8,236) and touchdowns (58). As an answer, he was one thing higher than a roll of the cube. Nonetheless, nobody exterior of UNLV’s soccer constructing would possibly’ve guessed the consequence could be this good.
“He’s a pacesetter,” Rebels linebacker Jackson Woodard stated. “He is aware of what it takes. He’s the primary one within the constructing.”
As a fast refresher: Sluka, a switch from FCS Holy Cross, began the primary three video games for UNLV, which included wins at Houston and Kansas and resulted in this system’s first-ever look in a top-25 ballot. He accomplished 43.8 % of his passes with six touchdowns in the course of the Rebels’ 3-0 begin whereas including 253 dashing yards and one other rating.
On Tuesday night, Sluka and his camp went public with a declare that UNLV had not adopted by means of on $100,000 in NIL commitments it made to the participant — and Sluka was subsequently leaving this system to protect a 12 months of eligibility and search a greater deal elsewhere. Within the hours to observe, everybody on the opposite facet — the college, its third-party NIL associate, donors spearheading NIL fundraising efforts — denied the existence of any contract or dedication. UNLV’s assertion categorized the request as pay-for-play, which is unlawful in Nevada.
Odom had been largely silent concerning the scenario — he walked off the apply discipline Wednesday with out remark, and solely acknowledged a “roster change” at quarterback throughout his weekly radio present that evening — and he learn from a ready assertion concerning the scenario Saturday.
“The next shall be my solely feedback on the matter,” Odom stated. “Many have expressed very robust opinions concerning the occasions of final week with out full data of the information, with out full data of the occasions of final week and with out full data of the principles within the ever-changing, evolving NIL system. And regrettably, some have even used this circumstance as a platform for their very own agendas.
“I respect everybody’s proper to an opinion. And I gained’t touch upon others’ opinions or their motivations for expressing them. Somewhat I’ll say solely that our soccer program complied with relevant guidelines, and topic to these guidelines, we’re totally dedicated to the event and the success of each student-athlete in our program.”
In any case, the opposite phases of the Rebels’ operation principally ensured the id of the quarterback was irrelevant, no less than for one weekend.
UNLV recorded 4 interceptions, three earlier than halftime. It surrendered 4 yards dashing, complete, by means of three quarters and posted eight tackles-for-loss. It returned a blocked punt for a landing within the first half and returned a kickoff for a rating within the second half — this system’s first such return in 13 years. “We talked about going into assault mode in all three phases,” Odom stated.
However it’s additionally true that any hope of crashing the playoff resides in UNLV having no less than practical quarterback play. Williams allayed these issues … for now.
“Poise,” receiver Ricky White III stated. “He’s a quarterback that, as an offense, we are able to rally round.”
A grueling stretch awaits. Syracuse visits on Friday, adopted by highway journeys to Utah State and Oregon State. Then it’s a marquee Mountain West showdown — and doable unofficial postseason elimination sport —with Boise State. And Odom is nicely conscious there is no such thing as a margin for error in chasing this sort of historical past at a spot like UNLV. He reiterated Saturday that this specific set of pages, warped and dog-eared as they may be, have to be turned with haste.
After which a hilariously wild week ended, fittingly, with yet one more hilarious second.
“I’d ask that anyone attain out to the Circa CEO, and ask him — that $100,000 he needed to donate?” White III introduced, as everybody ready to depart the postgame information convention. “Give it to our O-line. Please.”
(Picture: Ian Maule / Getty Photographs)
