A Crusader turned Rebel: After stellar career at Holy Cross, Sluka looking forward to shining at UNLV
Matthew Sluka concluded his illustrious Holy Cross football career in November, subsequently entered the portal as a graduate transfer, and, after sorting numerous offers, seized his next opportunity at UNLV.
Sluka’s final few months at HC include a full course load as he completes his degree in psychology, watching Rebels film, and learning a new playbook.
Graduating from Holy Cross was Sluka’s priority and the UNLV staff, he said, was open to him finishing the semester in Worcester and foregoing spring ball.
“During my recruiting process,” Sluka said this week, “most teams wanted me there immediately, but getting the Holy Cross degree is what I came here for originally and that was something meaningful to me. UNLV was really OK with that; they said, ‘That’s a great decision. Graduate and come play after. We can work around that.’”
Sluka spent HC’s spring break in Las Vegas meeting his new teammates, and he returned this weekend to watch the Rebels’ spring game.
“For the guys, obviously, me not being there for them is a little questionable,” Sluka said. “‘We have a quarterback coming in, but he’s not here right now,’ but once I got out there and explained the situation to them, they were all cool and it was really welcoming from that perspective.”
Last season, Sluka completed 62% of his pass attempts for 1,728 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 1,247 rushing yards were the most by a Division 1 quarterback in 2023 and the third most in HC single-season history. His 330 rushing yards against Lafayette were a D1 record for a QB.
Sluka finished fourth in voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS player of the year.
In the transfer portal, Sluka drew interest from about 50 schools, ranging from the SEC to other FCS programs.
UNLV, a G5 school that plays in the Mountain West Conference, offered Sluka the chance to play at a higher level, and the Rebels’ offense fits his dual-threat talents. During his visit, he enjoyed his interactions with UNLV’s coaches and he liked their facilities. The Rebels are coming off their best season (9-5) since 1984, and last year made their first appearance in the MWC title game.
“UNLV checked all the boxes,” Sluka said, “so it made it a good fit. They seem excited to have me there.”
Quarterback Jayden Maiava, who led the Rebels in 2023, transferred to USC, opening up the starting position. UNLV also brought in quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams, a transfer from Campbell University.
“There’s definitely going to be competition,” Sluka said, “but I think with the experience I’ve had being here for four years and doing pretty well over my four years, I feel like I’ll be in a good spot. I think the offense fits me well, so I think I’ll be able to succeed and do what I do. That’s the perspective I have coming into it, but there’s always going to be competition. Every year there was competition in the room at Holy Cross. Joe (Pesansky, Sluka’s backup and 2024 projected starter) always made me better, which I appreciated.”
As for NIL money at UNLV, Sluka said he is “getting a little bit. Enough to get me off my feet, but at the end of the day, that was not the biggest thing for me.”
Sluka guided the Crusaders to four Patriot League titles and three FCS playoff appearances. His 3,583 rushing yards and 38 rushing touchdowns rank second in HC history. He threw for 5,916 yards (sixth all time at HC) and 59 TDs (fifth).
Sluka was at HC’s Pro Day last month, supporting teammates, receiver Jalen Coker and right guard C.J. Hanson, who are both NFL Draft hopefuls.
“I’m so happy for them,” Sluka said. “You knew it was going to come.”
Sluka and Coker hooked up for some of the most memorable plays in HC history, including the late touchdown against Sacred Heart in 2021 that lifted the Crusaders to their first FCS playoff win, and the Hail Mary to beat Buffalo the next season.
Leading up to the pro day, Hanson stayed with Sluka, who has professional aspirations of his own.
“I got a lot of his thoughts on his experiences,” Sluka said, “and it’s great to see (Hanson and Coker) doing it and learn from what they did, and hopefully I’ll get to do it next year.”
Sluka, who was a Holy Cross freshman during the pandemic in 2020, spent his first semester of college at home in Locust Valley, N.Y., taking online classes, working out virtually and joining Zoom positional groupings.
Hanson, who was a sophomore, was the first teammate Sluka “met” during a virtual political science class that fall.
“C.J. became a familiar face on Zoom,” Sluka said. “I started texting him and talking to him about football and he started helping me out. I had no idea what to expect, and he was like, ‘Dude, you’re going to be fine.’”
Holy Cross students returned to campus in January 2021, and the Crusaders played a shortened spring football season.
Sluka came off the bench to spark HC in a win over Fordham. He started the Crusaders’ final two games, including the FCS playoff game at South Dakota State, and went on to wow HC fans the next three seasons.
As a junior in high school, Sluka wasn’t even sure he was going to play college football. He was a highly recruited lacrosse star.
“For me,” Sluka said, “it was, ‘Let’s go see what I can do with this. If it goes well, I’ll ride it out and enjoy it and love it and embrace football.’ It was a challenge and I was a little intimidated. Once I got here, it started going well and it was really fun to be part of.”
In the waning moments of Holy Cross’ one-sided win over Georgetown in the 2023 season finale, former HC coach Bob Chesney called timeout to spotlight Sluka and HC’s other seniors as they walked off Fitton Field for the last time.
As Sluka came to the sideline, he removed his helmet, waved and blew a kiss to the crowd. “It was a dream,” Sluka said afterward, as he reflected on his HC career.
“We had such a great team,” Sluka said this week. “I never saw a team chemistry like we had over the four years. Every single guy. Coach Chesney did a great job recruiting great men and great football players. It was perfect timing. We had so many great moments. What we had really is special.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: After stellar career at Holy Cross, Sluka looking forward to shining at UNLV
