UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka has decided to sit out his undefeated team’s $100,000 NIL payment for the remainder of the season, but it was not paid after he agreed to transfer to the Rebels last winter, Sluka’s agent told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Sluka’s announcement late Tuesday sent shockwaves throughout major college football, where the old rules of amateurism have fallen, but schools and the NCAA are still grappling with how to regulate compensation for the use of players’ names, likenesses or likenesses.
Sluka’s agent, Marcus Cromarty of Equity Sports, said Sluka was promised $100,000 by the UNLV assistant coach who recruited the quarterback last winter when he agreed to transfer from Holy Cross to the Rebels in January.
Equity Sports represents several NFL and college players, including Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. Sluka’s father, Bob Sluka, told the AP in a text message that his son signed with Equity Sports and Matthew Sluka entered the NCAA transfer portal in December announcing his intention to transfer schools.
Cromartie said he was unable to sign the NIL contract because Sluka was still finishing his degree at Holy Cross, which is usually done with booster-backed third parties known as collegiates that serve the school’s athletes — he enrolled at UNLV later that year.
Sluka did not join the squad until preseason training in August. No written agreement has been entered into, Cromartie said.
“In July, there were no NIL payments. Not $100,000, I guess you could say zero dollars. He was given a $3,000 transfer fee and that’s it,” said Cromartie, who declined to identify the assistant coach and said UNLV head coach Barry Odom was not involved in initial discussions.
Several weeks later, Cromartie said he approached first representatives of UNLV’s team, then Odom, to discuss ways to pay Sluka $100,000.
Cromartie said he offered to pay $10,000 a month and $5,000 a month over the next five months, which was rejected. Sluka will be paid $3,000 a month by Odom, Cromartie said.
“I think Matt lied at that point. He wanted to stand up for himself at that point,” Cromartie said.
UNLV released a statement saying Sluka’s representative made “financial requests to the university and its NIL affiliate for continued play.”
“UNLV athletics interpreted these requests as a violation of NCAA pay-to-play rules and Nevada state law,” the school said. “UNLV will not engage in such action and will not respond to implied threats. UNLV has honored all previously agreed upon scholarships for Matthew Sluka.
UNLV is scheduled to host Fresno State (3-1) on Saturday in a big Mountain West game, with both schools hoping a strong season can secure a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Rebels have already defeated two power conference schools.
NCAA redshirt rules allow players to retain one year of eligibility if they play four or fewer games in a season. Sluka, who played four seasons (2020-23) at Holy Cross, has one more year of eligibility remaining at another school next season. NCAA rules do not allow players to play for two schools in the same season.
Sluka didn’t elaborate on the reasons behind his decision, but college athletes are now routinely paid hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars by corporations or booster-funded partnerships.
“I committed to UNLV based on some representations that were made to me that were not confirmed after I enrolled,” Sluka posted on X. “Despite the advice, it is clear that these promises will not be fulfilled in the near future. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope the program continues to be successful.
The NCAA lifted its ban on compensating athletes for endorsements and sponsorship deals in 2021, but put in place some detailed rules to control how athletes are paid beyond saying they can’t receive compensation directly from the school.
A patchwork of state laws has created different standards across the country, and college sports leaders, including NCAA President Charlie Baker, are lobbying Congress for a federal law to help deal with an unruly system that lacks transparency.
Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada committed to play for Florida out of high school. Gators coach Billy Napier and one of the school’s best promoters sued After the $14 million NIL deal fell through. Rashad never played for Florida. He was released from his scholarship contract in 2023 and transferred to Arizona State, where he played last year and then transferred to Georgia this season.
“They have to find a system like everything else — make sure the contracts are signed or the language is done the right way,” Mahomes, who is involved in the NIL fellowship at Texas Tech, his alma mater, said Wednesday when asked about Sluka’s situation.
UNLV went 9-5 last season and played for the Mountain West Conference championship, but Jayden Maiwa, the quarterback who led the team to the program’s best season in nearly 40 years, transferred to Big Ten Southern California.
Sluka is one of the best quarterbacks playing in the second tier of Division I, known as the Football Championship Subdivision. Holy Cross reached the FCS playoffs in 2021 and ’22 with Sluka as the starter.
After a coaching change at Holy Cross — head coach Bob Chesney left to take over at James Madison — Sluka moved as well. After setting several school records and 330 yards rushing for an NCAA Division I quarterback record Lost to Lafayette in 2023.
Sluka has completed 21 of 48 passes for 318 yards, six touchdowns and one interception for the Rebels this season. A shifty and elusive runner, he rushed 39 times for 286 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 113 yards 23-20 win over Kansas On September 13, the Rebels went 2-0 against Big 12 teams following an earlier win over Houston.
“At the end of the day, $100,000 is probably really low-end for a quarterback in a top 25 program,” Cromartie said. “The fact that he didn’t get that or anything in between speaks to the fact that he’s being treated unfairly and unfairly.”
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AP sports writer Dave Schretta in Kansas City, Missouri contributed.
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