The UNLV Rebels had no trouble playing against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday night, days after quarterback Matthew Sulka decided to leave the program following an NIL dispute.
Before the Rebels' 59-14 victory, ESPN broadcaster Rece Davis shared her thoughts on Sulka's situation on “College GameDay.”
“It's probably true that he probably promised something and it wasn't fulfilled,” Davis said via Awful Annunciation. “That's probably true. It's clearly true that he didn't have it in writing.
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UNLV Rebels quarterback Matthew Sulka runs the ball against the Jayhawks at Children's Mercy Park on September 13, 2024 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagine Images)
“If you make a stupid mistake in life, even if I mess up, or Matthew Sulka messes up, or whoever messes up, sometimes you have to wear it, dude. And You go in there and expect something without writing and they don't give it to you. You can't just absolve a team, sometimes you just hit a fastball in the ribs and say, 'That was me. I have to think, 'That was bad.'
Sulka announced Wednesday night that he would be leaving the team amid a 3-0 start, citing a failure to fulfill certain commitments made in his decision to transfer from Holy Cross to UNLV.
“I committed to attend UNLV based on certain representations made against me, which were not upheld after admission,” Sulka said in a statement posted to X . “Despite discussions, it has become clear that these promises will not be fulfilled in the future.” We wish our teammates the best of luck this season and wish the program continued success. ”
Rece Davis appears on ESPN's “College Gameday” at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2024 in Pasadena, California. (Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports)
Sulka's agent, Marcus Cromartie of Equity Sports, and the quarterback's father, Bob, did not uphold the $100,000 NIL verbal offer UNLV made to Sulka to transfer from Holy Cross to UNLV. It is claimed that
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Blueprint Sports and Entertainment, UNLV's NIL organization, issued a statement denying the Sulka family's claims.
“No formal offer was made to NIL during Mr. Sulka's recruitment process,” the statement said. “Furthermore, Friends of UNILV did not finalize or agree to NIL’s offer while he was a member of the team, other than a community engagement event completed over the summer.
“At Blueprint Sports and the Friends of UNILV, we take our commitments very seriously. We also want to emphasize that we have not broken any agreements. Our commitment to supporting the level of our student-athletes is steadfast and we are committed to maintaining the integrity of our program. ”
UNLV Rebels quarterback Matthew Sulka runs the ball with Jayhawks safety OJ Burroughs at Children's Mercy Park on September 13, 2024 in Kansas City. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagine Images)
UNLV also released a statement on the matter, saying that Sulka had made “financial demands” that it deemed to be a violation of NCAA rules.
“A representative for football player Matthew Sulka has made financial demands against the university and its NIL group to allow him to continue playing,” the school said in a statement. “UNLV Athletics interpreted these requests as a violation of the NCAA's pay-for-play regulations and Nevada law. UNLV does not engage in such activities and will not respond to implied threats. UNLV has honored all previously agreed upon scholarships to Matthew Sulka.
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“UNLV has conducted its due diligence and will continue to operate its program within the framework of NCAA rules and regulations and Nevada law.”
FOX News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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