EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — With a matchup against Maryland on the horizon, Jabbar Muhammad is locked in. The Oregon Ducks are preparing to defend their status as the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation, carrying a 9-0 record and fresh off a 38-17 road win over Michigan. But for Muhammad, this is just another opportunity to make plays.
“I've probably been playing well, trying to make what's most of, you know, the targets that come to me,” Muhammad said this week. “Obviously going to get got sometimes, but like I said, trying to make most of the targets that come to me and try to make plays.”
Asked about his mentality when a receiver gets away with a push-off, Muhammad was clear. “Ah, man, it's just next play,” he said. “You know, we have certain tricks, and they got certain tricks, but it's just next play. Those guys want a scholarship, too.”
The Ducks' defense has gelled exceptionally well this season, a surprising feat given the mix of transfers and new faces. Muhammad attributes the unit's chemistry to the time they spend together off the field.
“I'll probably say just all the extra time we spent together,” Muhammad explained. “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. This is probably the most connected secondary I've ever been a part of, and that's just a testament to everything we do off the field.”
The Ducks will face a Maryland team that boasts two standout receivers—“1[Tai Felton] and 10 [Kaden Prather],” as Muhammad called them. He knows what to expect.
“Those guys are really good receivers,” he said. “They get the ball in many ways, whether that's slot, outside, screens, quick game, deep balls, everything like that. So we've got to be on our P's and Q's this week.”
Maryland quarterback Billy Edwardds has been known to sling the ball around, something Muhammad is eager to counter.
“I mean, you kind of get happy, you know what I mean, just knowing that this game is kind of going to be on the back end a little bit,” he said. “So we've got to do our part. And like I said, just watch the film, knowing we can make our plays and make the plays that come to us.”
“We've seen this quarterback specifically as he's an often productive guy,” Muhammad added. “Yeah, he's going to sling it. He trusts his guys, and he likes his guys over anybody. So, like I said, we're going to get our ops this week.”
Despite a tough game at Michigan, where the Ducks walked into one of the most hostile environments in college football, Muhammad said the team remained unfazed.
“I would say just no matter what happens, we kind of just stick to the plan. We don't get rattled,” Muhammad said. “Obviously, this is an 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're coming there to win ballgames.”
The Ducks will be without receiver Tez Johnson for a bit, but Muhammad praised the next man up—Treshawn Holden—and his ability to step into the spotlight.
“I mean, those guys are just working hard and stepping up. We have a saying, next man up. And, shoot, what new testament to this last game for Trey, you know what I mean, to go out there and ball like that,” Muhammad said. “But it's just next man up. We have a lot of talented receivers in that room.”
When asked about some of the younger players, like Jeremiah [McClellan] or Dillon Gresham, who haven't yet had many opportunities, Muhammad expressed confidence.
“Yeah, I mean, I think those guys are ready,” he said. “I mean, it's not my call, but I think those guys are ready. I go up and get them a good amount of time, and they're not freshmen anymore at this point. So I think those guys are ready.”
When asked about the thumbs-down celebration the team adopted during the Michigan game, Muhammad laughed and gave credit to their movie night inspiration.
“I mean, I want to take credit for it, but we kind of watched the Gladiator movie this past week. And that was kind of the motto,” Muhammad said. “And, you know, in the Gladiator movie, they do the thumbs down to, you know, execute or whatever. And like I said, I'm going to go, I'm going to say it's me, but that was the team motto last week. So everybody was doing that. But it's just ironic that, you know, that's kind of my celebration.”
The Ducks will need that Gladiator mentality as they take on Maryland this weekend at Autzen Stadium, where they hope to extend their perfect season. For Muhammad, it’s all about staying ready for the next play—no matter who gets the ball.
“We have certain tricks, and they got certain tricks, but it's just next play,” he said. “Those guys want a scholarship, too.”
Reflecting on the season, Muhammad emphasized the importance of preparation and embracing the challenge ahead.
“I would say they just stuck to their game plan,” he said about Maryland's recent comeback. “I mean, they didn't change anything up. They took their shot in certain territories and things like that. And like I said, they just stuck to their game plan.”
