Paul Finebaum reacts to Matthew Sluka decision over NIL promises not met by UNLV

UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka made a surprising decision on Wednesday when he announced that he’d be redshirting and no longer playing for the Rebels this college football season after leading the program to a historic 3-0 start. Claiming that the program did not uphold its representations to him upon enrollment after transferring in from Holy Cross this offseason.

The news about Sluka sent shock waves around the college football landscape, representing one of the downsides of the current state of college athletics relating to players getting paid through NIL. An unfortunate situation that college football analyst Paul Finebaum discussed Thursday morning on ESPN.

“The most surprising thing is that this isn’t even surprising,” Finebaum said on Get Up. “We’ve expected something like this to happen and before we we all go into a panic mode, this is just as you said, the beginning of it. You can’t tell someone something in this new age of college athletics and not follow up.”

Marcus Cromartie, Sluka’s agent, claims his client was promised “a minimum” of $100,000 to transfer to UNLV from Holy Cross this offseason. But only received $3000 to relocate to Las Vegas. Meanwhile UNLV’s NIL Collective, Friends of UNILV, came out and said they never extended a $100,000 contract to Sluka during his recruitment process or finalized/agreed to any NIL offers. Placing one sides word against another in an unfortunate situation that will likely go unresolved.

“I don’t blame the player one bit. From a legal standpoint, he probably doesn’t have a claim. But that this isn’t about legality in Nevada, this is about promises made that weren’t fulfilled. And I’m sure a lot of other players right now are looking around going, am I going to be the next one to jump in?” Finebaum asked.

Many are placing the blame on the NCAA for Sluka’s current circumstance, as coaches and other decision-makers in college athletics have been pleading for nationwide, uniform rules and regulations regarding NIL. A ship that Finebaum believes sailed long ago as the ‘Wild West’ era of NIL continues and the responsibility in dealings between student-athletes and programs can likely continue being unchecked in certain cases.

“It’s not the NCAA’s fault, that train left. It is Vegas’s fault. We’re talking about $100,000, and I realize that is a lot of money to most people watching right now. But at Alabama, Georgia, Texas, I mean that’s a backup. I mean that’s not even a legitimate player, let alone the most important player on your team,” Finebaum explained.

“That’s how ridiculous this is, and I think for players, I hope they get opportunities. But know what you’re doing when you deal with some of these smaller schools, because the big schools will pay you, I promise you.”

Many critiques regarding NIL and the transfer portal from the offseason have become quieter now that the college football season is underway. But Sluka’s situation now sheds light on a major issue within the sport that’s now drawn attention to the dangers of NIL in a major way.