Not surprisingly, fingers are already being pointed at the events that led to UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka’s decision to leave the program.

Either he received NO promises that he did not keep, or he tried to use a power play to get more than he was guaranteed.

We don’t know the truth. There is one inescapable truth: It is critical to get these NIL deals in writing.

This is in everyone’s interest. Negotiate the terms, write them down, get everyone to sign and move on.

Then, if either side fails to meet its obligations, steps can be taken to resolve the situation. The player would have rights, and those who give him money to play with would have rights. These rights could be enforced either in court or (if the parties agree) in arbitration.

This is the only way to avoid situations like this, especially if the NCAA does not apply any guardrails.

The NCAA learned the hard way that it cannot set guardrails. That would be a violation of antitrust law.

But that doesn’t mean that this is the Wild West. Players must receive their commitments in writing. NIL collectives must do the same. This is the only way to ensure that all commitments made are kept.

And if that’s not the case, it’s easy to find out who’s right and who’s wrong.