Starting QB for a undefeated team quits due to breach of contract.....

[BlueRaider22]

QB Matthew Sluka to exit UNLV, says 'representations' not upheld​

play

• Associated Press

Sep 25, 2024, 03:19 AM ET

Share

LikeOpen Extended Reactions

197
LAS VEGAS -- Matthew Sluka, the starting quarterback for undefeated UNLV, announced Tuesday night on social media he will not play in any more games this season.
Sluka said he will instead use his redshirt year.
"I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled," Sluka posted on X. "Despite discussions, it became clear that 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."

pic.twitter.com/oK5BDRpoxK
— Matthew Sluka (@MatthewSluka) September 25, 2024

The senior has completed 21 of 48 passes for 318 yards and six touchdowns with one interception for the Rebels (3-0) this season. He also has rushed 39 times for 286 yards and a score.
In a 23-20 win over Kansas on Sept. 13, Sluka led the Rebels on an 18-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Kylin James scoring on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 1:51 left. Sluka rushed for 113 yards in the game.

Editor's Picks​

• ​
  
  

  Sources: UNLV exploring options after USU defects
  1dPete Thamel and Kyle Bonagura​

​

UNLV is scheduled to host Fresno State (3-1, 1-0) in its Mountain West Conference opener Saturday.
The senior transfer spent the first four years of his college career at FCS program Holy Cross, where he is first in career pass efficiency (147.4), second in career rushing yards (3,583), second in career rushing touchdowns (38), fifth in career passing yards (5,916) and fifth in career passing touchdowns (59).
He rushed for an NCAA Division I quarterback record 330 yards in a loss to Lafayette in 2023.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Good. Excellent. We need more and more people to get burned so the nil market corrects itself and we get something in line with the intent.

 

[K_TIME]

Well....can't say many didn't see this coming and for those that hammer this player for being un-loyal to the team.....

1. All the talk of players deserve money (when all P5 kids were getting a small stipend)
2. All the talk of players should have freedom to up and leave just like coaches
3. All the talk of schools making so much money....players are like slaves in this arrangement

Here is the true underbelly of this entire NIL/transfer portal era. And just as NFL guys sit out pre-season for contracts, have these "hamstrings" injuries that they can't play thru, "making business decisions" for their bodies, etc....

Here it will start in college game.

So for those that lamented for all this....you have to live with the good and the bad.

 

[CatPatrick13]

Agree with the kid. Here is a question. Winning case in court?

 

[cbrwalt]

This was happening before NIL/transfer portal

 

[Tskware]

This was happening before NIL/transfer portal

How??

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Agree with the kid. Here is a question. Winning case in court?

We need more information regarding the representations that were made and how they were made. Thread title says "breach of contract" but nothing about the article establishes the existence of a contract beyond just being a typical college athlete.

 

[UKnCincy]

Well....can't say many didn't see this coming and for those that hammer this player for being un-loyal to the team.....

1. All the talk of players deserve money (when all P5 kids were getting a small stipend)
2. All the talk of players should have freedom to up and leave just like coaches
3. All the talk of schools making so much money....players are like slaves in this arrangement

Here is the true underbelly of this entire NIL/transfer portal era. And just as NFL guys sit out pre-season for contracts, have these "hamstrings" injuries that they can't play thru, "making business decisions" for their bodies, etc....

Here it will start in college game.

So for those that lamented for all this....you have to live with the good and the bad.

This situation is not like a pro player sitting out because they want a better contract.

This is a situation where a school made promises to a kid to convince him to commit to the school, and then the school failed to honor their end of the bargain. And if the kid was promised he’d receive something before the season began, then it’s a credit to the kid that he went ahead and played in 3 games to give the school a chance to keep their word.

If schools don’t won’t to deal with a situation like this one specifically, there’s a very simple solution. Don’t make promises you either can’t keep or don’t intend to keep.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

 

[bnewt]

Who to believe..........the player or the school
just like politics, neither side is believable
if the school did as promised, then they need to sue to kid to recover their investment, since he has quit
this will happen more and more as NIL has ruined college sports

 

[bigblueinsanity]

View embedded media

Hell this is even better. The quicker we get the nil market back down to earth the better.

 

[99firerock]

View embedded media

Ah, the old greed setting in. Thank for sharing. If true...kid should lose his final year of eligibility

 

[TuckyFB]

View embedded media

Lol wow

 

[YardCat]

Are these NIL promises made on a contract? Or is it a hand shake and believing that what they told you is true. Crazy world we live in now.

 

[BigTyrone]

View embedded media

If true, he’s a biyatch.

If he was misled by the school and didn’t receive what was promised, UNLV is the biyatch.

 

[K_TIME]

This situation is not like a pro player sitting out because they want a better contract.

This is a situation where a school made promises to a kid to convince him to commit to the school, and then the school failed to honor their end of the bargain. And if the kid was promised he’d receive something before the season began, then it’s a credit to the kid that he went ahead and played in 3 games to give the school a chance to keep their word.

If schools don’t won’t to deal with a situation like this one specifically, there’s a very simple solution. Don’t make promises you either can’t keep or don’t intend to keep.

That isn't the schools side of the debate....they state all financial stipulations have been met and the QB thought he deserved more.

 

[gobigblue812]

Are these NIL promises made on a contract? Or is it a hand shake and believing that what they told you is true. Crazy world we live in now.

It was verbal.

 

[gobigblue812]

“Bob Sluka, father of UNLV QB Matthew Sluka, told ESPN that his son’s agents agreed to an NIL deal with the school back in February, never received payments despite requests and never asked for any adjustments to the original deal,” Rittenberg said via X.

 

[cbrwalt]

How??

Players have quit on teams during the season before. NIL is not ruining college sports

Tramel: College football players who quit on their team learned the behavior well

Texas lost to Iowa State on Thanksgiving Friday, and within a couple of days, two Longhorn captains resigned their commission. Offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi and safety Caden Sterns announced they w…

www.oklahoman.com

 

[UKnCincy]

That isn't the schools side of the debate....they state all financial stipulations have been met and the QB thought he deserved more.

Yep, just saw that. If it turns out that the school’s side is true, then your NFL analogy is more accurate.

 

[Larry Skaggs]

I been working at this job for six months and they haven’t paid me yet. I will give the until next May and if they don’t pay me by then I’ll quit

 

[TCurtis75]

According to Pete Thames, Sluka was promised 100k in NIL to transfer to UNLV by an assistant coach. To date, he has received 3k. Also this is his last year of eligibility. He had to quit and transfer now in order to keep this year of eligibility. This is his one time to make NIL money.

If these claims are true, UNLV deserves all the negative publicity.

 

[yoshukai]

Saw elsewhere that one of Notre Dames cornerbacks is “shutting it down “ after 4 games .

 

[Bluegrass79]

I personally wouldn't play a damn game without all my payments. Payments we have "in writing" to be sure.
On PAPER.
If it was a phone call deal about NIL you better have recordings.
If the nil deal was text messaged you better screenshotted it.

Judge Judy has taught me you better have proof of contract!

 

[CatFanOverseas]

Highly doubt this will affect the schools that really matter, and by that I mean the programs where NIL is not an issue. The "representations" will be met. Until a big SEC school is affected, this story is a moot point. If noone cared about Rashada and Florida, noone is going to care about UNLV and their woes. And by noone I mean people with any power to effect change.

 

[bballcat4]

These NIL deals will quickly move to written contracts. I'm guessing the payments will be based on games played, NIL appearances, etc ...

Let's be honest, to date, most of the NIL issues have been boosters, collectives, etc... not meeting their end of the agreement.

However, players walking away from a team before they play 4 games so they can maintain another year of eligibility will become normal. Can you imagine being a young player at Fla knowing there's a 99% chance you're going to have a new coach next year and you've already decided you plan to enter the portal if your HC/PC is replaced? Leaving before you play 5 games or more saves a year of eligibility. I don't like it, but it's going to happen more frequently.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

These NIL deals will quickly move to written contracts. I'm guessing the payments will be based on games played, NIL appearances, etc ...

Let's be honest, to date, most of the NIL issues have been boosters, collectives, etc... not meeting their end of the agreement.

However, players walking away from a team before they play 4 games so they can maintain another year of eligibility will become normal. Can you imagine being a young player at Fla knowing there's a 99% chance you're going to have a new coach next year and you've already decided you plan to enter the portal if your HC/PC is replaced? Leaving before you play 5 games or more saves a year of eligibility. I don't like it, but it's going to happen more frequently.

Iirc they are all supposed to be in writing. At least in ky. They even have to be approved by someone at uk. At least thats how its supposed to work.

If someone is quitting over a 100k handshake, thats on them to not get it in writing. Id fire whatever agent that approved such nonsense.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Highly doubt this will affect the schools that really matter, and by that I mean the programs where NIL is not an issue. The "representations" will be met. Until a big SEC school is affected, this story is a moot point. If noone cared about Rashada and Florida, noone is going to care about UNLV and their woes. And by noone I mean people with any power to effect change.

I agree. Do we really think Georgia or bama or osu won't honor agreed amounts? Doubtful.

I agree with the other poster I wouldnt play until I got what was promised to me.

 

[YaketySax]

This has some original reporting that adds to it



…there was no written contract because the money was contingent on him winning the starting job and making NIL contingent is illegal under current NIL rules. Wild.

 

[jlkirk]

This has some original reporting that adds to it

View embedded media

…there was no written contract because the money was contingent on him winning the starting job and making NIL contingent is illegal under current NIL rules. Wild.

So, its an illegal contract...void ab initio?

 

[kywildcat41086]

Saw elsewhere that one of Notre Dames cornerbacks is “shutting it down “ after 4 games .

I personally wouldn't play a damn game without all my payments. Payments we have "in writing" to be sure.
On PAPER.
If it was a phone call deal about NIL you better have recordings.
If the nil deal was text messaged you better screenshotted it.

Judge Judy has taught me you better have proof of contract!

Here’s the problem as the first quote said if the Notre Damn Corner is shutting it down after as the 2nd quote says making sure you get paid first.

I know these wasn’t meant for each other but that’s the problem if the player gets all the money up front then better be ready to commit and play the whole damn season. If you pay the player all the money and they quit after a few games that NIL money should be returned to its rightful place! I know we had a basketball player a few years ago that enjoyed some nice NIL perks and didn’t even play a game . Not a lot of places will appreciate players making $100,000 and not fulfilling a commitment I know it’s vice versa too.

 

[Glenn's take]

These NIL deals will quickly move to written contracts. I'm guessing the payments will be based on games played, NIL appearances, etc ...

Let's be honest, to date, most of the NIL issues have been boosters, collectives, etc... not meeting their end of the agreement.

However, players walking away from a team before they play 4 games so they can maintain another year of eligibility will become normal. Can you imagine being a young player at Fla knowing there's a 99% chance you're going to have a new coach next year and you've already decided you plan to enter the portal if your HC/PC is replaced? Leaving before you play 5 games or more saves a year of eligibility. I don't like it, but it's going to happen more frequently.

I won't be at all shocked when a team has to forfeit the rest of a season when too many leave early.

 

[ok-cats-computer]

UNLV is also losing a running back.

 

[EliteBlue]

Honestly…good for them. Couldn’t had been an easy decision. Most of those kids don’t have a shot at the NFL so if they were promised money in college and that university isn’t paying out, taking the redshirt year and finding a school that will at minimum give them 100k or something at all is fair game. May be the only time they get paid to play and give theirselves more money in their bank account to start real life with then 99% of ppl get

 

[UKWildcats1987]

All the espn and cbs analysts projecting UNLV to playoff changing their picks. Lol.

 

[THE_HOOK]

The greed of the NIL is and will be its downfall with its current setup.

 

[UKBlueBlood]

Here’s he thing… shouldn’t all of this coming out result in penalties for the school AND eligibility issues for the players? The players are basically coming right out and openly admitting they expected to be involved in pay for play deals, which is supposedly not allowed.

 

[gobigblue812]

UNLV is also losing a running back.

View embedded media

Way down on depth chart.



Allen cited “opportunities” that “unfortunately were not met” in his announcement, which was similar verbiage as what Sluka said overnight Tuesday. However, Allen clarified his decision didn’t have anything to do with NIL and was strictly about “on-field opportunities” at UNLV. He arrived at UNLV after two years at NC State, and will have two years of eligibility remaining as a redshirt junior in 2025.

 

[Girthang]

Players have quit on teams during the season before.

True.

NIL is not ruining college sports

NIL isn't. Under-regulated and unenforced pay for play is.

 

[Girthang]

Way down on depth chart.



Allen cited “opportunities” that “unfortunately were not met” in his announcement, which was similar verbiage as what Sluka said overnight Tuesday. However, Allen clarified his decision didn’t have anything to do with NIL and was strictly about “on-field opportunities” at UNLV. He arrived at UNLV after two years at NC State, and will have two years of eligibility remaining as a redshirt junior in 2025.

Sounds like the OC's mouth was writing bad checks. Sounds like the same things promised by some other more famous coaches recently.

It's become a shtshow now that they assume, and maybe rightly so, that the ncaa has no teeth. Coaches and surrogates running their mouths knowing they won't be held accountable. Gives all of them a bad reputation.

Luring players away from other programs with bullsht promises is and has happened all over at many levels of football for decades. It's good to see that the players are sometimes getting equal time in the press. Didn't have that when I played, and coaches were even bigger assholes then.