Bill Connelly from ESPN recently wrote an article, "10 most interesting quarterbacks for the 2024 college football season" with the 2 UNLV additions coming in at #9.
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At the FCS level in 2023, six quarterbacks (a) threw for at least 1,700 yards with a passer rating of at least 150 and (b) rushed for at least 250 net yards. Two of those six will don UNLV jerseys in 2024. Coach Barry Odom couldn't hold onto quarterback Jayden Maiava after his 2023 breakout season, as the sophomore-to-be transferred to USC. But Odom turned the loss into an opportunity, bringing offensive coordinator Brennan Marion two of the most exciting and versatile QBs from the next level down.
Over the past two seasons at Holy Cross, Sluka threw for a combined 4,217 yards and 46 touchdowns while rushing for 2,481 yards and 20 more scores. He led the non-scholarship Crusaders to their first two FCS playoff wins ever, not to mention two wins over FBS teams (UConn and Buffalo) and a near-upset of Boston College last season. Williams, meanwhile, comes to Vegas from Campbell, where he completed 71%, threw for at least 300 yards three times and rushed for at least 40 yards three times.
It's hard to accurately project which FCS-to-FBS transfers will translate properly at the next level. Some don't. But the hits -- quarterback Bailey Zappe (Houston Christian to Western Kentucky), defensive end Jared Verse (Albany to Florida State), quarterback Vernon Adams (EWU to Oregon), etc. -- have been pretty spectacular. And grabbing two FCS transfers obviously increases the odds of landing one gem."
The other QBs to make the list:
1. Drew Allar, Penn State Nittany Lions
2. Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech Hokies
3. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
4. Avery Johnson, Kansas State Wildcats
5. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee Volunteers
6. KJ Jefferson, UCF Knights
7. Josh Hoover, TCU Horned Frogs
8. Miller Moss, USC
10. Preston Stone, SMU
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9. Matthew Sluka and/or Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV Rebels
At the FCS level in 2023, six quarterbacks (a) threw for at least 1,700 yards with a passer rating of at least 150 and (b) rushed for at least 250 net yards. Two of those six will don UNLV jerseys in 2024. Coach Barry Odom couldn't hold onto quarterback Jayden Maiava after his 2023 breakout season, as the sophomore-to-be transferred to USC. But Odom turned the loss into an opportunity, bringing offensive coordinator Brennan Marion two of the most exciting and versatile QBs from the next level down.
Over the past two seasons at Holy Cross, Sluka threw for a combined 4,217 yards and 46 touchdowns while rushing for 2,481 yards and 20 more scores. He led the non-scholarship Crusaders to their first two FCS playoff wins ever, not to mention two wins over FBS teams (UConn and Buffalo) and a near-upset of Boston College last season. Williams, meanwhile, comes to Vegas from Campbell, where he completed 71%, threw for at least 300 yards three times and rushed for at least 40 yards three times.
It's hard to accurately project which FCS-to-FBS transfers will translate properly at the next level. Some don't. But the hits -- quarterback Bailey Zappe (Houston Christian to Western Kentucky), defensive end Jared Verse (Albany to Florida State), quarterback Vernon Adams (EWU to Oregon), etc. -- have been pretty spectacular. And grabbing two FCS transfers obviously increases the odds of landing one gem."
The other QBs to make the list:
1. Drew Allar, Penn State Nittany Lions
2. Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech Hokies
3. Jalon Daniels, Kansas
4. Avery Johnson, Kansas State Wildcats
5. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee Volunteers
6. KJ Jefferson, UCF Knights
7. Josh Hoover, TCU Horned Frogs
8. Miller Moss, USC
10. Preston Stone, SMU
