EUGENE, Ore. — Jabbar Muhammad has been on both sides of one of the Big-10’s fiercest rivalries. Last season, as a member of Washington’s defense, Muhammad played a key role in two dramatic three-point wins over Oregon. His former team went on to face Michigan in the national championship. Now, after transferring to Oregon in the offseason, Muhammad is preparing to face his former teammates as a Duck, and he says the rivalry hasn’t lost its intensity.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s just another game, honestly,” Muhammad said when asked what the matchup means to him. “I’m just ready to go out there and compete with my bros.”
Even though the rosters of both teams have turned over since last season, Muhammad acknowledged the competitiveness of the rivalry remains the same. “I mean, it is what it is, honestly. No matter who’s out there, this Saturday they’re going to go out there and compete,” he said.
The former Husky has had a productive season for the Ducks, recording 31 tackles, including 17 solo, and breaking up nine passes in 11 games. His experience practicing against Oregon’s top wideouts should help him prepare for Denzel Boston, has helped him prepare for games like Saturday’s. “He’s a really good wideout. I feel like this year he’s put everything together and really coming to his own,” Muhammad said. “He’s really good in the intermediate game, the quick game, and the deep game. So he’s a really complete receiver. So I’m looking forward to going against him Saturday.”
Washington’s quarterbacks present a unique challenge, Muhammad said, noting their differing styles. “Yeah, [Will Rogers] really good pocket passer, doesn’t really do a lot of running like number two [Demond Williams] does, but has a complete game,” he said of Washington’s starter. “And number two, like I said, a little more dual threat, can kill you with his legs and as well throw the balls too. So I’m going to have to do a good job on trying to cage those two.”
Oregon’s secondary used the bye week to return to basics, a necessity late in the season. “For the DB specifically, I just feel like we just kind of went back to our fundamentals,” Muhammad said. “You know, when it gets kind of later in the season, you kind of abandon those things, you know, just with nicks and nags and injuries and things like that. We had some time to heal up. We had some time to get out there early before practice and get some footwork things in and just stop being so handsy sometimes. We obviously play a lot of man coverage, so we’re trying to clean that up as well. But I feel like we went back to the fundamentals, and I feel like we’re in a good spot right now.”
When asked whether boxing gloves, used in previous drills to discourage holding, were still part of their practice routine, Muhammad laughed. “Nah, nah, we’re not even talking about that.”
He said the Ducks’ focus against Washington is on playing their best. “Honestly, I just think we need to be us,” he said. “Of course, [head coach Dan] Lanning preaches on us going out there and just playing a complete game. We still feel like we haven’t played our best yet. So just implementing everything we do in practice and going out there on Saturday and just letting it loose.”
Muhammad said the idea of "playing their best" involves both making the routine plays and striving for impactful moments. “I mean, obviously, at the corner, you want interceptions, some sacks, some TFLs. You want to just fill up the stat sheet. But my best is just trying to make all the plays that come to me. Honestly, I don’t want to force anything. I don’t want to go out there and try to not do somebody else’s job. I just want to do my job the best way possible.”
Having experienced other major rivalries during his time at Oklahoma State, Muhammad compared this game to others he’s played in. “Yeah, I think it’s a really fierce rivalry,” he said. “Obviously, the fans really don’t get along too well. But it’s a really fierce rivalry. Me coming from the South, I didn’t know it was that crazy. I didn’t know it was, you know, like I’m used to Texas OU and Auburn, Bama. This is just up there with those rivalries. So just to be a part of it is pretty cool.”
The intensity of the matchup hasn’t been lost on him, even as he’s shifted allegiances. “Like I said, last year I was pretty surprised about the rivalry,” he said. “But, man, honestly, football is football. It is what it is. I kind of tune all of that out and go execute my job.”
Muhammad even reflected on the Bedlam rivalry from his earlier college days at Oklahoma State. “Earlier in my career was crazy, but my first Bedlam was COVID so I don’t really get to truly, you know, see it,” he said. “But my second year it was kind of crazy. It’s up there with those honestly. Like I said, the fans don’t like each other. I remember getting egged on the bus Bedlam year. So, like I said, I think this is up there with it.”
Practices this week have been spirited, he added, with head coach Dan Lanning emphasizing energy and enthusiasm. “Honestly, we do a pretty good job every week of bringing the energy in practice,” Muhammad said. “I think Coach Lanning, you know, he motivates us. We got the music out there playing. Everybody’s dancing around in 20-degree weather. So I think it’s pretty cool to go out there and just have fun in practice. I don’t think a lot of teams do that. I don’t think a lot of programs do that. So just to go out there and have the energy in practice, it’s pretty cool.”
Muhammad seems ready for the challenge ahead, content to tune out distractions and focus on the game. “Football is football,” he said. “It is what it is. I kind of tune all of that out and go execute my job.”
