QB Sluka, who left UNLV for no contest, went to James Madison

Quarterback Matthew Sluka, who sparked a national conversation about the impact of name, image and likeness trading after his departure from UNLV, has transferred to James Madison.

His new school released a picture of Sluka dressed in a royal purple robe and wearing a crown on his head to celebrate his move to the Dukes.

𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐃 ✍️

Welcome to the valley, @matthewsluka❗#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/KaG4cvBGgi

— JMU Football (@JMUFootball) January 14, 2025

Sluka announced after the start of the Rebels’ first three games this season that he was leaving because he said the program had failed to honor a NIL 100,000 payment promised upon transfer from Holy Cross. He retained his eligibility for last season as he did not play in four games.

UNLV and its collective, Friends of UNLV, rejected Sluka’s claim.

Sluka led the Rebels to a 3-0 start, passing for 318 yards and rushing for 253 yards with seven total touchdowns.

Hajj-Malik Williams took over as the starter for the remainder of the season, and the Rebels finished 11-3 and ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll and CFP Rankings. They appeared in the Mountain West championship game and won the LA Bowl.

James Madison went 9-4 that season and won the Boca Raton Bowl.

Sluka could compete with Richmond transfer Camden Coleman for the starting spot, which largely depends on the health of incumbent Alonza Barnett. Barnett suffered a knee injury late in the season that required surgery.