[WATCH] Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning Motivates Team: 'No Mercy'

Against the Michigan Wolverines on the road, the Oregon Ducks and cornerback Jabbar Muhammad took inspiration from movie classic "Gladiator" to throw a unified celebration. Oregon coach Dan Lanning inspired his team before the Ducks game in the Big House.

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

For the No. 1 Oregon Ducks, entering the “Big House” last week to take on the Michigan Wolverines presented the challenge of a historic, fan-filled, and hostile environment. Though on a build-back year, any game played in Ann Arbor has a level of advantage for the Wolverines. To prepare for this, Oregon coach Dan Lanning turned to a cinematic icon, and cornerback Jabbar Muhammad ran with the reference.

“We watched the Gladiator movie this past week and that was kind of the motto,” Muhammad said. “You know, in the Gladiator movie they do the thumbs down.”

Muhammad is referencing when Commodus, the emperor in the 2000’s released movie played by Joaquin Phoenix, signals the results of a gladiator battle and whether the loser should be executed with either a thumbs up or thumbs down signal. In the movie, Phoenix displays a thumbs down to Russell Crowe’s Maximus, and he replies “Are you not entertained?” That line has become a cornerstone in iconic cinema quotes.

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Nikko Reed (9) celebrates in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

During this weeks’ installment of “That Team Out West,” the Oregon video team documents Lanning’s reasoning behind using this movie and symbol.

“I’m going to tell you to look up at the stands at some point in this game and you’re going to start to see it empty out. We’ve made the decision before we’ve even stepped on the field: all day, it’s thumbs down. There’s no mercy,” Lanning said in a team speech in the latest Ducks' Vs. Them video from Oregon football.

That’s where Muhammad took the metaphor to the field. Fans watching the game would notice the cornerback throwing up his “thumbs down” after a successful coverage play by the secondary. As the Ducks continued to beat down the Wolverines, more athletes’ thumbs started going down.

“That was the team motto last week,” Muhammad said. “So everybody was doing that. But it's just ironic that, you know, that's kind of my celebration.”

“And when the things’ over with, we’re going to ask ‘are you not entertained?’ Right? Are you not entertained?” Lanning said in a speech during “That Team Out West.”

Oregon linebacker Emar'rion Winston (32) and defensive back Jabbar Muhammad celebrate after stopping Ohio State during their game at Autzen Stadium. / Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Muhammad inspiring a field full of “Gladiator” gestures just shows the chemistry the Ducks have developed so far in their 9-0 season. Muhammad also admits that in the secondary, the brotherhood is a major driver for why this team continues to leave their fans entertained.

“Our process is all the extra time we spend together. You know, a lot of us are in our last years, and this is it for us. So we kind of just put everything we got into it. We see each other off the field. It's probably the most connected secondary I've ever been a part of, and that's just testament to everything we do off the field,” Muhammad said.

As far as keeping the show going with the Maryland Terrapins heading to Autzen Stadium on Saturday, Muhammad is sticking to the script.

“I would say just, no matter what happens, we kind of just stick to the plan,” Muhammad said. “We don't get rattled. Like I said this, obviously, this is the older team. There's really good leadership on this team and things like that. So we just don't get rattled. Man, no matter what the arena is, no matter what the stadium is, we know we come in there to win ball games.”

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Davis Warren (16) looks to pass in the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Though Maryland has some quick receivers and made a bounce-back 29-28 win against USC earlier in their season, the Terrapins pose an easier game for the Ducks compared to the rest of their schedule. In fact, Oregon arguably has a doable schedule to round out their regular season with all unranked teams till a presumed Big Ten Championship appearance. Two of those three final games are at home, where the Ducks are one of twelve teams in the nation to be 5-0 or better at home.

You kind of get happy, [because] you know what? I mean, just knowing that this game was kind of going to be on the back end a little bit, so we got to do our part and, like I said, just watch the film, knowing when we can make our plays and make the plays that come to us,” Muhammad said.

This weekend’s match up is the first ever meeting between the two programs. Kick off is at 4:00pm on Saturday, November 9th. As the Ducks continue to barrel towards a promising postseason, fans simply have to ask themselves with such a high-performing Oregon team: are you not entertained?

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