I'm curious about everybody's feelings on our new quarterbacks for this coming football season. I know that Sluka's stats from Holy Cross are very impressive. But is he exactly what our football team needs next year? And how do you think that he'll do against the Mountain West's competition?
How good are our quarterbacks for this year?
- Thread starter ckfitz
- Start date
Holy Cross lost 17-14 to Army. Sluka had 37 carries for 171 yards & 16-23 for 156 yards (Army destroyed AF 23-3). Army finished the season 6-6
Holy Cross lost 31-28 to Boston College. Sluka had 18 carries for 135 yards & 10-15 for 130 yards (Boston College beat 22 ranked SMU in the bowl game 23-14). Boston college also beat Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Army Virginia, etc.). Boston College finished the season 7-6.
Based on the above games, he showed he can be competitive with mid level programs at the upper level that are similar to the MWC teams without the skilled players to back him up that will be available at UNLV.
Holy Cross lost 31-28 to Boston College. Sluka had 18 carries for 135 yards & 10-15 for 130 yards (Boston College beat 22 ranked SMU in the bowl game 23-14). Boston college also beat Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Army Virginia, etc.). Boston College finished the season 7-6.
Based on the above games, he showed he can be competitive with mid level programs at the upper level that are similar to the MWC teams without the skilled players to back him up that will be available at UNLV.
He was meh in that BC game I happened to be at that one. When will our first look at him be in camp?
That’s the big question. If we had Maiava with a year under his belt, used to this system, I think it’s a banner year for UNLV, better than last.
If Sluka isn’t all we are hoping for, I think it’ll still be a success by UNLV standards, but not what we hoped for given last year. If he’s what we are hoping, I think it’ll be one of UNLV’s best seasons ever. The caveat being UNLV doesn’t have more than their fair share of expected difficulties with injuries and such. Depth is one of those things you don’t have a ton of at this level to where you can just plug and play.
We've seen him already. He gets the yips anytime hes asked to make a read since his freshman season. no thanks.
As for the OP question... Thats the G5 Invitee million dollar question. If Sluka can manage to lead the offense with anywhere near the same efficiency or better than Maiava did then we will be in a position to be playing for a National Championship in the playoff... Our defense is going to be better and the offense around the QB is going to be better, and the conference outside the top 3 is mediocre to really bad. We get to play the entire slate of bottom half MWC teams while avoiding traveling to Fresno and Boise and completely avoiding AFA, CSU, and Wyoming... So yeah, I think Sluka will benefit with the talent around him and fits into things the G-Go might want to do that just didnt work with Maiava's inexperience or skill set.
Who knows. He could be the next best thing since Randall Cunningham. Or, he could end up be like a previous QB who emphasized tuck and duck.
I for one have high hopes. We need him to be at his best. He needs to be at his best if he wants a future at the professional level.
Overall, I'm somehow believing that we will be a better team with him and he will be a better QB with the players in front of him.
Playing for Holy Cross he had to do everything to keep the team in the games, at UNLV there are way more options on offense that can play at a very high level. The receivers are through the roof in regards to talent!
One thing to Sluka's Favor, the weapons around him. I really like what our WR/TE corps will look like this season. Strong RB rotation with seemingly more ball catchers as well.
As for a "better season"? Hard to predict that. I think it is possible, but our schedule is much tougher overall this season. Sure, no Michigan, but much fewer gimmies. Houston will not be a pushover, Kansas is a darkhorse Big 12 championship contender with both of those on the road, then Syracuse and yet another roadie at Oregon State. Sure they lost a lot, but they were damn good last season.
Also have to play Boise, Fresno, and at Hawaii (which is always tougher for us). We avoid Air Force this year. Which is good. But schedule is much tougher overall this season.
As for a "better season"? Hard to predict that. I think it is possible, but our schedule is much tougher overall this season. Sure, no Michigan, but much fewer gimmies. Houston will not be a pushover, Kansas is a darkhorse Big 12 championship contender with both of those on the road, then Syracuse and yet another roadie at Oregon State. Sure they lost a lot, but they were damn good last season.
Also have to play Boise, Fresno, and at Hawaii (which is always tougher for us). We avoid Air Force this year. Which is good. But schedule is much tougher overall this season.
Out of conference is tougher, but the in conference appears to be easier, so I believe UNLV has a really good chance to finish strong and have a similar record to last season.
Out of conference last season included Bryant, Michigan, Vanderbilt and UTEP. This next season includes Houston, Utah Tech, Kansas and Syracuse.
Houston was an up and down team last season who would play a top 25 team close and then get blown out the next game. Based on their record, you would think UNLV should win the game until you look at how hard their schedule was. The line is only a few points so hopefully UNLV can find a way to win this game.
Utah Tech - A must win easily game. Losing this game or even having a close game would be a huge setback.
Kansas - UNLV showed that they could play with this team, but any way you look at it, this will be the hardest game of the regular season to win. It would be an upset for UNLV to win this game.
Syracuse - When they played lower level teams they won by blowouts, but when they played ranked or upper level conference teams, they ended up getting blown out in most cases. They finished 6-7 including a blowout 45-0 lost to a 6-6 South Florida team in their bowl game. After starting 4-0 against a very weak schedule, they finished at 2-7 with a total of 2 games against ranked teams. This is a very winnable game. My expectation is the line will end up under a touchdown.
Fresno State (home) - UNLV lost by a TD last season at Fresno. I believe UNLV will end up favored in this game.
Utah State - The game is being played in Utah. Utah was not a very good team last season finishing off the season at 6-7. They had one good game verse Iowa losing by 10, but also got luck to beat a really bad Uconn by 1, beat SDSU in OT, lost by 21 to SJSU, lost by 18 to Air Force, and beat NM state in OT. In comparison UNLV lost to SJSU by 6 (they really struggled in this game), beat NM by 42, beat AF by 4 after falling way behind, but did struggle with BSU. A game that UNLV would lose in the past at Utah State, but should be able to win this time around.
Oregon State - I have no clue how to call this game. Lean towards Oregon State.
Boise State - UNLV will have revenge on their minds, but on the other hand UNLV has always struggled against BSU. Until UNLV shows they can win, BSU will be favored.
Hawaii - This has always been a close game in the Islands, but I think UNLV will go in an show the difference in the quality of players and coaching between the two teams and walk away with a win.
SDSU - This is a revenge game for the last close loss back in 2022 in a game UNLV should have won. I think UNLV will handle this game easily.
SJSU - UNLV struggled at home this last season, so until they show differently, I will give this to SJSU at home as the favored.
unr - This should be a blowout game.
Yeah, I have the Kansas game as almost the same tier of Michigan in the "not really winnable" category (not saying they are anywhere as good as Michigan was, just around the same expected result)...
As for the rest, I put them all as toss up in OOC outside Utah Tech. We should win, we should do well in the rest.. but things have an interesting way of surprising or disappointing early in a season..
Where I differ on conference play... Theres no reason why we shouldnt have 1 or fewer losses... We get Boise and Fresno at home. Huge games, Id hope big crowds. We avoid playing AFA and CSU and Wyoming... Then we get the bottom half of the conference.. Hawaii- not really worried, Utah St. they just fired their HC and Im sure there will be a lot of disarray all season. SDSU, SJSU, UNR... I dont see them as being competitive vs us. SJSU lost their HC and their QB, basically what had dragged them into being any form of success over the past few seasons. Oregon St... who knows, they lost their staffs, they lost the talent advantages of P5 affiliation etc.. Im not really calling it a conference game anyways...
I can see us sitting 9-3 heading into the conference title game or better simply by the grace of a lucky draw conference schedule. The bottom tier of the MWC isnt going to be good. They werent good last year and Im not big on any of their hires except UNM getting Mendenhall.
I think overall you put UNLV as a similar record to last season just like I believe will happen.
Yeah. I think looking at the schedule and all the changes on teams we face in conference, we got a really sweet draw.. especially with Boise and Fresno at home. I just dont see the bottom tier of the MWC being good and we get all of them plus our 2 hardest conference games at home.
