Ducks Digest

What Pat McAfee Said About Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning’s Viral Motivation Tactic

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning isn’t just leading the nation’s No. 1 team; he's redefining how motivation meets strategy on college football's biggest stages. Pat McAfee and other college football analysts weigh in on Lanning's tactics. Lanning is going viral after calling a timeout to let his team watch Michigan fans exit "The Big House" in silence.

Olivia Cleary

Host Pat McAfee dances on his chair to “Shout” during ESPN’s “College GameDay” Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore.
Host Pat McAfee dances on his chair to “Shout” during ESPN’s “College GameDay” Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

EUGENE- "Are you not entertained?" were the words echoed by many Oregon Ducks football players during Oregon’s 38-17 win over the Michigan Wolverines Saturday, Nov. 2.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning has been making headlines throughout the 2024 football season for many reasons. Arguably the most obvious reason is that he is the head coach of the No. 1 team in the nation. He has also garnered attention for strategic schemes, such as his intentional penalty during Oregon’s win over the then No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, where he intentionally took a penalty to run crucial seconds off the clock—a decision that prompted the NCAA to make an official change to the rule book. 

Lanning is again taking the internet by storm, but this time it’s for the way he motivates his team and for a timeout he called simply to have his players watch Michigan fans flood out of the Big House in silence as it became apparent Oregon would win the game. 

Each week, Oregon’s creative video team releases a cinematic recap of the game titled “Ducks vs. Them.” These videos provide insight not only into the game, capturing the words and voices of coaches, players, and fans, but also into the preparation in the week leading up to the game. 

Ahead of facing the reigning Michigan Wolverines in the largest stadium in all of college football, Dan Lanning had his team read Theodore Roosevelt’s famous words from “The Man in the Arena”: 

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

- Theodore Roosevelt
Oregon Ducks tight end Roger Saleapaga (83) celebrates with fans after the game against the Michigan Wolverines
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Roger Saleapaga (83) celebrates with fans after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The video also revealed that Lanning had his team watch the film “Gladiator” and used it as a way to spark drive and motivate his team to be relentless even while playing in front of over 100,000 screaming fans. 

"I'm going to tell you to look up in the stands at some point during this game, and you're going to start to see them empty out. We've made the decision before we even stepped on the field—it's thumbs down all day, no mercy," said Lanning ahead of the game.

When Lanning says, "It's thumbs down all day," he’s referring to the gesture made by the character Commodus in the movie Gladiator, symbolizing a call for death and no mercy.

Pat McAfee and J.D. PicKell's reaction to Lanning's motivational speech is overwhelmingly positive.

The “Ducks vs. Them” video also showed Lanning playing a clip of one of the greatest basketball minds of all time, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, better known as Coach K, talking about one of the best feelings when playing on the road.

"When you're on the road, one of the best feelings is to silence the crowd. Damn right we are the bullseye, and by the way, your fans are leaving at the three-minute mark. Every once in a while, remember those timeouts where you just say, 'Time out, what do you want, Coach?' I said, 'I just want you to look in the stands; these motherf**kers are leaving,' and a big smile goes across because those will be some of the moments that you're gonna enjoy the most. But preparation is a key."

- Coach K

And that is exactly what Lanning did when he called his final timeout at Michigan. Players looked around the Big House and saw quiet Michigan fans leaving in disappointment as the Ducks ran away with their ninth win of the season. 

Oregon linebacker Emar'rion Winston (32) and defensive back Jabbar Muhammad celebrate after stopping Ohio State
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

The clip of this timeout, combined with Dan Lanning telling his team earlier in the week that this exact moment would happen, is taking the internet by storm, and this isn't the first time the work of Oregon’s video team has gone viral. 

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning (left) and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hug after the game at Autzen Stadi
Sep 23, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning (left) and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hug after the game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Oregon's win over Colorado. This came at a time when Colorado had just started its first season under the tenure of head coach and one of the most influential figures in football, Deion Sanders. The video released captured Colorado players stepping on Oregon’s logo and talking trash to Oregon players ahead of the game:

“I’ll beat the sh*t out of every one of y’all and your coach.”

“Why y’all so little?”

“We finna run through y’all a**.”

- Colorado Buffs players

Oregon went on to dominate the Buffs, or as Lanning would say, "end the Cinderella story." Oregon won the game 42-6 , as well as earned even more support from its ever-growing fan base. 

MORE: How to Watch Oregon Ducks vs. Maryland Terrapins: Preview, Prediction, TV Channel

MORE: Oregon Ducks Recruiting: Nation's No. 2 Overall Recruit Visiting Eugene For Maryland

MORE: Ohio State's Ryan Day: Defense Had To 'Start From Scratch’ After Oregon Ducks Loss

MORE: Oregon Ducks Fans Color To Wear vs. Maryland Terrapins In Autzen Stadium


MORE: Oregon Ducks Reveal Throwback Uniforms for Maryland Game: PHOTOS

MORE: Oregon Ducks Recruiting: 5-Star Kansas State Wildcats Commit Linkon Cure Visiting?

MORE: Why Oregon Ducks Can Land 5-Star Recruit Jahkeem Stewart Over Ohio State, USC, LSU


MORE: Oregon Ducks Tez Johnson Injury: Dillon Gabriel, Dan Lanning Emotional Reactions

MORE: What College Football Playoff Committee Said About 'Sensational' No. 1 Oregon Ducks

MORE: [EXCLUSIVE] Oregon Ducks' Tez Johnson Reveals What Makes Quarterback Dillon Gabriel 'Rare'

Published
Olivia Cleary
OLIVIA CLEARY

Olivia Cleary, commonly known as Liv, is a fourth-year student at the University of Oregon. While pursuing a degree in journalism, Olivia has submersed herself in the world of Oregon athletics. Olivia is an intern within the athletic department. This role has provided her with a unique perspective as she has created relationships with staff, administrators, and student-athletes. Olivia is eager to share her insights and analysis on the Ducks and the broader world of college sports.

Home/Football