What Pat McAfee said about Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning's viral motivational tactic

EUGENE “Aren't you entertained?” were the words repeated by many Oregon Ducks football players during Oregon's 38-17 win over the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, November 2nd.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning has been making headlines throughout the 2024 football season for many reasons. Perhaps the most obvious reason is that he is the head coach of the No. 1 team in the country. He has also garnered attention for strategic schemes, such as his intentional penalty kick in Oregon's win over the then-No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, where he intentionally took a penalty with crucial seconds remaining – a decision that the NCAA an official change to the rules led to a decision.

Lanning is once again taking the internet by storm, but this time it's because of the way he motivates his team and to take a timeout so his players can watch in silence as Michigan fans stream out of the Big House as It becomes clear that Oregon would win the game.

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

Before the game against 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's not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the perpetrator could have carried out his actions better. The credit goes to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood; who strives bravely; Who is wrong, who always comes up short, because there is no effort without mistakes and shortcomings; but who actually strives to accomplish the deeds? who knows great enthusiasm, great devotion; who supports a good cause; Who at best knows in the end the triumph of great achievements, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails, although he dares greatly, so that his place will never be with those cold and timid souls who have neither victory nor defeat know .”

– Theodore Roosevelt

The video also revealed that Lanning had his team watch the movie “Gladiator” and used this to ignite the drive and motivate his team to be tireless, even when playing in front of over 100,000 screaming fans.

“I'm telling you to look in the stands at some point in this game and you'll see them emptying. We made the decision before we even stepped on the field – it's thumbs.” “Lay on the ground all day, no mercy,” Lanning said before the game.

When Lanning says, “It's thumbs down all day,” he's referring to the character Commodus' gesture in the film gladiatorsymbolizes a call for death and mercilessness.

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

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

“When you're out and about, one of the best feelings is silencing the crowd. Damn right, we're a hit, and by the way, your fans leave after three minutes. Think about it every now and then Those timeouts where you just say, “Timeout, what do you want, Coach?” I said, “I just want you to look in the stands; these motherfuckers are leaving,” and a big smile beams, because these will be some of the moments you'll enjoy the most.”

– Coach K

And that's exactly what Lanning did when he took his final break at Michigan. The players looked around the Big House and saw the silent Michigan fans leaving in disappointment as the Ducks ran away with their ninth win of the season.

The clip of that 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 Oregon video team's work has gone viral.

Oregon's victory over Colorado. This came at a time when Colorado had just begun its first season under the leadership of head coach and one of the most influential figures in football, Deion Sanders. The video released showed Colorado players stepping on the Oregon logo and talking nonsense to Oregon players before the game:

“I will beat the hell out of you and your trainer.”

“Why are you all so small?”

“We’ll finally go through you.”

– Colorado Buffs player

Oregon dominated the Buffs, or as Lanning would say, “finish the Cinderella story.” Oregon won the game 42-6 and received even more support from its ever-growing fan base.