UNLV Rebels quarterback Matthew Sluka has slowly progressed through football’s many levels. He started in high school, made a post-graduate stop, and then elevated to the FCS before finally landing an FBS starting job five years into his career.
Sluka’s journey is unique and can be celebrated by even the most anti-transfer portal fans. Here’s how Sluka landed with UNLV.
Where Did Matthew Sluka Play in High School
A three-sport athlete, Sluka was a standout lacrosse, basketball, and football player at Kellenburg Memorial High School in Uniondale, New York.
A Catholic school power, Kellenburg Memorial experienced its best seasons with Sluka at the helm, and playing there prepared Sluka for the college level.
Sluka took over as a full-time starter as a junior and never lost a game until he got to Holy Cross. In 2017, Sluka threw for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns while running for 1,619 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground.
As a senior, he improved as a passer, completing just under 74% of his passes for 1,203 yards and 14 touchdowns, with another 1,131 yards and 22 touchdowns as a runner. In both years, he led Kellnburg Memorial to undefeated seasons and won the CHSFL Championship Player of the Game twice.
But Sluka was unranked as a football player and had no college offers.
Ironically, football was Sluka’s second sport. A star lacrosse player, Sluka had several offers to play Division I lacrosse at powerhouses across the country. But Sluka wanted to play football.
So, he enrolled in a post-graduate program.
After graduating high school, Sluka dreamed of playing college football. The next logical step would have been to walk on at a college of his choice.
Instead, Sluka spent a year at a post-graduate institute, Peddie School, playing quarterback and attempting to raise his stock.
After a third straight undefeated season, Sluka caught the attention of Bob Chesnee at Holy Cross and enrolled there on a scholarship in 2020.
Sluka Shines at Holy Cross
The Patriot League postponed its fall schedule in 2020 to the spring of 2021, giving Sluka extra time to prepare as a freshman and helping him win the starting job.
In his four years at Holy Cross, Sluka slowly progressed, going from Rookie of the Year (Spring 2021) to second-team All-Patriot League (Fall 2021) to first-team All-Patriot League (2022) to Patriot League Player of the Year (2023).
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In four years with the Crusaders, Sluka passed for 5,916 yards and 59 touchdowns, adding 3,583 yards and 38 touchdowns on the ground. Sluka entered the transfer portal on Nov. 20, 2024, landing with the Rebels later in the offseason.
UNLV is perfect for Sluka, and Sluka is perfect for UNLV. Sluka’s dual-threat capabilities fit what Rebels offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and head coach Barry Odom want to do — and Sluka has thrived so far.
Sluka has the ability to lead the Rebels to a Mountain West title game and potentially a College Football Playoff berth.
It’s funny… a kid from Long Island, New York, and a Mountain West team in Las Vegas, Nevada, each helping the other thrive.
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