In one final 2020 oddity that Mick Cronin is eager to leave behind, his UCLA defense is lagging far behind its offense.
Cronin has always been known as a defensive coach, his final nine teams at Cincinnati ranking No. 28 or higher nationally in defensive efficiency, according to the metrics of Ken Pomeroy.
The trend changed in Cronin’s first season at UCLA, if only because the Bruins were so atrocious defensively. They ranked No. 112 in defensive efficiency amid a flurry of blown coverages while ranking No. 51 in offensive efficiency, reminding no one of the Bruins of Lonzo Ball.