"I don’t worry about Mick Cronin": UCLA AD Martin Jarmond confident about head coach's abilities despite season troubles

In UCLA's six seasons under Mick Cronin, the team has experienced its fair share of ups and downs. When the Bruins dropped four straight matchups to kick off 2025, including a 19-point defeat by Michigan, debate sparked among fans over whether Cronin was the best person to run the program.

The veteran coach has been able to turn things around as of late, picking up four straight wins after the Jan. 13 loss to Rutgers and elevating UCLA to a 15-6 record.

In a Wednesday interview with "Bruin Insider Show," athletic director Martin Jarmond expressed that he is not concerned about Mick Cronin's leadership of the Bruins:

"I don't worry about Mick from the standpoint of how the season is going because he has a great ability to know what his team needs when they need it," Jarmond said (via On3).

"I have all the confidence in the world in Mick and the guys because they're talented, they play hard, and, if there's one thing that I know, he knows how to get the best out of that team and those guys and they play for each other. That's a beautiful thing to see."

NCAA Basketball: UCLA at Maryland - Source: Imagn

UCLA hired Mick Cronin to lead its program ahead of the 2019-2020 season. Cronin had been in a head coach position since 2003, spending three seasons with Murray State and 13 with Cincinnati. He was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in his inaugural season, but the pandemic saw both the Pac-12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament being canceled.

When basketball was back underway, Cronin continued to prove himself with UCLA. The Bruins made three straight NCAA appearances from 2021-2023, making it to the Final Four in 2021 and Sweet Sixteen in 2023. The 2023-24 season was less promising, with UCLA finishing 16-17 and missing the NCAA tournament.

As the 2024-25 season began to turn sour, fans were worried that they were in for a second consecutive disappointing season. However, Mick Cronin has seemingly turned things around with four straight wins under his belt, most recently including a win over California rival USC. Jarmond seems to recognize Cronin's continued effort and the effect that a change in the conference has had on UCLA.

"You're in a Big Ten Conference. Everyone is good, you know? It's a physical conference. It's the best conference, in my opinion, in the country. And so, no nights off," Jarmond said. "So you're going to have spells where you're playing really well and you're going to have spells where it's not going as well."

Martin Jarmond highlights 'ebb and flow' as Mick Cronin's Bruins hit their stride

UCLA now stands at 15-6 with a lot of basketball left to play before March, but the road to the NCAA Tournament won't necessarily be an easy one. The Bruins are set to face off against No. 16 Oregon at home on Thursday night before hosting No. 7 Michigan State, which sits atop the Big Ten Conference, on Tuesday.

A lot of work still needs to be done by Cronin and his team, but Jarmond remains confident.

"It's great, you know. Men's basketball is on a four-game winning streak, you know. And you've just got to — it's a long season. You got to ebb and flow," Jarmond said. "You know, again, a lot more season to go, you know, so there's no stopping this team as far as what they can do and continue to accomplish as we get further along in the season."

Mick Cronin and the Bruins will be hoping for more flow and less ebb as they look to extend their winning streak.