The UCLA Bruins have a big move ahead of them with the Big Ten Conference debut in 2024. UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon are joining the conference next season, making an already talented conference even better.
With UCLA losing Chip Kelly to Ohio State and hiring first-time head coach DeShaun Foster, as well as Mick Cronin’s basketball program taking a step back this year, it could make for a rough transition.
Ben Kenney of Badgers Wire ranked the Big Ten’s best basketball-football head coaching duos, and the Cronin-Foster pairing is 10th. Here’s what Kenney wrote:
Mick Cronin is considered one of the best coaches in college basketball — despite UCLA’s struggles this season.
Football head coach DeShaun Foster hasn’t coached a college game yet. But Cronin’s stature is enough to get the duo inside the top 10.
Even with Cronin’s squad having a down year, his resume speaks for itself and is worthy of UCLA being in the top 10. Things can change depending on how Foster does, but this is a good spot for UCLA despite being in an adjustment period in both sports.
It’s also worth noting that Kenney has the Dan Lanning-Dana Altman Oregon dup as the best in the Big Ten.