2024 USL Season Preview
Breaking down every club's offseason transactions, depth chart, projected finish, and tactical notes for the 2024 USL Championship season
24 teams, 34 matches, and historically unmatched levels of parity. The 2024 USL Championship season will kick off before you know it, so I’m breaking down every club in terms of major transactions, predicted depth charts, key tactical decisions, and defining storylines.
The standings projections referenced below use my player value-based model, which takes into account USL Championship and USL League One performance, age, minutes played, and league of origin for new additions. A graphic version of the model that uses player retention to create error bars is provided in the footnotes.1 These aren’t my personal picks; see Backheeled in a few weeks for that.
As last-minute signings roll in and preseason matches make lineups and tactics clearer, I’ll continue to update to this page. For a recap of all signings and moves, see my 2024 USL Transfer Tracker.
Thanks for reading, and let’s get to the team profiles.
Birmingham Legion
In: Paterson, Turay / Out: Brett, Agudelo, Asiedu
Coach: Tommy Soehn
Projected Finish: 10th, Eastern Conference
The Legion have been a model of consistency since joining the USL, always making the playoffs but never quite possessing the firepower or taking the risks to break through as a threat. 2024 seems to be shaping up in a similar fashion after a quiet offseason, but Tommy Soehn may have a trick up his sleeve by way of a new 3-4-3 formation.
AJ Paterson is the most notable addition this winter, and his comfort as a left back and central defender is the thing that will let Birmingham experiment. A three-at-the-back look would allow Paterson and Alex Crognale to maraud out of the back line, making runs into the half spaces. It would also accentuate and support this team’s extreme pace out wide: Preston Tabortetaka, Tyler Pasher, and Diba Nwegbo are absolute burners.
That said, is there enough defense in that group to cover the channels? Sure, Preston is fast, but he’s more natural as a No. 9 than he is rubbing shoulders with Crognale on the edge of the box. Moses Mensah makes a lot of sense on the left, but he’s the only natural full back on the roster right now. This team has had issues behind their full backs dating back to the Jonny Dean days, and it’s something to eyeball once again.
I’m extremely skeptical of moves at striker, where Neco Brett and the oft-misused Juan Agudelo have been replaced by Mohamed Turay and Stefano Pinho; the new duo scored two combined goals in the calendar year 2023. The thinking seems to be that wide speed and prodigious creation from Enzo Martinez and Matthew Corcoran in the pivot will open up space for the new forwards to at least do something. You can lead the horses to water, but I don’t think they’ll drink. Corcoran himself is a question mark; why risk injury to an asset that can be turned into six figures when the European window opens this summer?
Have the Legion done enough? It’s an open question given the Eastern arms race this winter, but I trust the process enough to expect another year of solid performances and an honest shout at playoff qualification. If Nwegbo or St. Louis loanee Miguel Perez breaks out, expect that ceiling to rise.
For more: Birmingham’s back three
Charleston Battery
In: Molloy, Smith, LaCava, Myers / Out: Barajas, Williams, Dodson
Coach: Ben Pirmann
Projected Finish: 3rd, Eastern Conference
Charleston is a rather different team than the one that shocked the USL and won the East in 2023, but they’re even more dangerous because of the transformations. Ben Pirmann has toyed with a back three during the preseason, which testifies to the Battery’s admirable depth in the center of the park. There’s simply more versatility in the squad this time around.
The losses will matter, with players worth 53% of Charleston’s 2023 minutes out the door. Augustine Williams knocked home 35 goals in three seasons in South Carolina. Fidel Barajas nearly led the league in assists as a teenager. Trey Muse and Derek Dodson were good enough to earn MLS moves. Still, the Battery arguably improved and built a more possession-ready squad by adding stars like Aaron Molloy and Graham Smith who know the system from their Memphis days. Molloy’s impact can’t be understated; no one in the USL is as good at driving offense at every level.
Pirmann may persist in his typically counterpress-heavy 4-2-3-1 with Jake LaCava and Nick Markanich as inverted wingers, but what about the aforementioned back three? Smith, Juan Sebastian Palma, Leland Archer, and the flexible Nathan DosSantos are a lovely set to mix and match across three defensive spots. The shape’s main drawback is that it would freeze out two of Markanich, LaCava, Emilio Ycaza, Arturo Rodriguez, Chris Allan, and Molloy.
The reinvention at striker could be key. Three MLS NEXT Pro veterans, including reigning Golden Boot winners MD Myers and Jack Lynn (they tied!) and familiar USL scorer Jackson Conway, will compete for minutes. A putative 3-5-2 is the best fit for those new faces, though a fourth forward - ex-Portland man Diego Gutierrez - can fit anywhere. No matter where this team lands stylistically, they must be the odds-on favorite to repeat in the East.
For more: The Subtlety of Aaron Molloy
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
In: Damus, Santos, Ackwei, Hanya / Out: R. Williams, Beckford, Skundrich
Coach: James Chambers (New)
Projected Finish: 5th, Western Conference
Almost every change Colorado Springs made this winter was like-for-like, and almost every one represents a meaningful upgrade that'll pay off throughout 2024. Ronaldo Damus is a better pure scorer than Romario Williams and is more threatening in transition, even if the latter was on the scoresheet more often in 2023. Koa Santos is an elite crosser and can initiate better than Drew Skundrich at right back without sacrificing much defensive quality. Aidan Rocha might cover twice as much ground as Jay Chapman did in the pivot.
Are the marginal changes enough without further alterations? New manager James Chambers - promoted from an assistant role with Stephen Hogan becoming the sporting director - won’t reinvent the tactical wheel. The Switchbacks will surely persist with a 4-2-3-1 built around vivacity and gumption on the wing. This team’s press is eminently well-organized as well, and that characteristic doesn’t get enough attention as a secret to their consistency.
In the context of tactical stasis, there must be niggling concerns about Maalique Foster failing to repeat a year of hot finishing or about Damus lacking Williams’ hold-up gravity. Even so, Chambers and company have done enough across the board to build in an admirable insurance policy. Getting Zach Zandi back is a minor coup as well, especially for the stretches Jairo Henriquez will miss on international duty.
Ultimately, this is a club on the doorstep; Colorado Springs has always been a “nearly” contender. They were a step too young in 2021, fell into dark horse range after the Hadji Barry sale in 2022, and didn’t have the firepower in 2023. If Yosuke Hanya, who scored 13 times and assisted nine times more in MLS NEXT Pro last year, or Quenzi Huerman, a dangerous left-footed rookie winger, can break out to complement Damus and Foster, the Switchbacks could be unexpectedly threatening come October.
For more: Switchbacks on the Margins
Detroit City FC
In: Amoh, Coote, Murphy / Out: Suarez
Coach: Danny Dichio (New)
Projected Finish: 8th, Eastern Conference
When Danny Dichio was in Sacramento, his club made hay by dominating the channels. The teams he helped created weaponized the wing backs and wider players in a three-man defensive line to generate overloads and support consistent offense. After a 30-goals-in-34-games season for Detroit City, Dichio’s experience drilling attacking principles into a defensively flawless 3-4-3 not unlike Le Rouge’s will be welcome news.
To get there, someone needs to pop in the wide areas; defenses will collapse on Maxi Rodriguez otherwise. On the flanks, Alex Villanueva is full of potential but has typically been short on consistency in Orange County and Tacoma; Matt Sheldon is more set-up man than direct creator, and he may be a better fit at center back at age 31. I’d bet on a belated Brett Levis breakout.
The front line is more promising. Elvis Amoh is a guaranteed double-digit striker outside of the Hartford morass, and he’s the kind of No. 9 that always distracts defenders. Ali Coote put up excellent numbers in Ireland and has the eye for space on the edge of the box that will perfectly complement Amoh. As much as I doubted him last year, Ben Morris is designed to do the dirty work around forwards like the new additions.
Numerically thin, the midfield is the easiest area to imagine. A year of growth from Dominic Gasso and the addition of do-it-all James Murphy are sure to liberate Maxi Rodriguez as the offense force he’s capable of being. Le Rouge may opt for a 3-5-2 that prides itself on controlling the center of the park if that group melds nicely; experimentation feels safer with this defense and Nate Steinwascher returning.
In an improved conference rife with parity, Detroit feels like a team that made some of the smartest moves of the offseason. None of the signings are individually world-beating, but they amount to more on aggregate, all without sacrificing the defensive integrity that made this club nigh-impossible to break down. I won’t swear that it’s enough for the playoffs, but it’s a great set-up for the new Dichio era.
For more: Dichio to Detroit
El Paso Locomotive
In: Akinyode, Moreno, Moshobane, Dhillon / Out: Navarro, McCue, Gomez, Kostyshyn
Coach: Brian Clarhaut
Projected Finish: 7th, Western Conference
Playoff berths aren’t earned in November, but El Paso came out hot and took their roster to a new level as soon as the offseason began. Brian Clarhaut quietly put in a hugely impressive USL managerial debut last year, sparingly adding to a time-worn core to blast out of the gates in a fluid 4-4-2. When the going got tough, his shift into a no-nonsense back three righted the ship well enough to get the Locomotive into the playoffs. Now, Clarhaut has a team designed for his game, not that of Mark Lowry or John Hutchinson.
The attacking unit is star studded, featuring winger-forward hybrids in Amando Moreno, Tumi Moshobane, and Joaquin Rivas that contributed to 41 goals last year. There’s an impressive Venn diagram of skill amidst the trio: Moreno is an elite dribbler who can make his own shot, Moshobane is a slick ball-carrier in transition, and Rivas is an inspired passer full of slashing runs in the final third.
They’ll help feed Justin Dhillon, a very complete No. 9 with pressing instincts that were battle-tested in the demanding San Antonio FC system. El Paso has ample steel behind the gifted attacking front, headlined by new destroyer Bolu Akinyode. A former Miami and Birmingham star, Akinyode could sit in the pivot and free up Eric Calvillo to roam upfield (which I prefer), but he could also play center back in a back-three concept.
Speaking of the defense, it’s a loaded set. Tony Alfaro is an MLS vet, Brandan Craig is a hugely bright defensive prospect, and I love Elijah Martin at full back, center back, or anywhere else that his versatility can shine. I am curious how you get enough minutes for Craig and potential stars like Noah Dollenmayer and Miles Lyons, but that’s a good problem to have. In any case, Jahmali Waite ought to become a household name outside of the slightly odd goalkeeping vortex in Pittsburgh.
There are questions about chemistry for all the new faces, and Clarhaut must decide on a systematic fit to make the squad sing. Still, I’m sold on the managerial vision and the sheer talent level. It’s going to be a season to remember in El Paso.
For more: Assessing El Paso’s offseason overhaul
FC Tulsa
In: Rogers, Portillo / Out: Bird, Epps, Ruxi
Coach: Mario Sanchez (New)
Projected Finish: 8th, Western Conference
FC Tulsa needs to be taken at face value on the basis of their Opening Day roster. Yeah, Jeremy Kelly and Charlie Adams were set to anchor Blair Gavin’s midfield as late as January. The reality is that none of those three are in the mix, but this roster is still vastly improved, and Mario Sanchez should be given a long leash to take this team into contention.
Sanchez’s Louisville lineage and his late-breaking roster moves hint at a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 concept, one defined by a pressureful front line starring Phillip Goodrum. The former Memphis star bagged 12 goals in his Oklahoma debut season and will do double duty as a defensive pest again in his second year. Secondary scoring from Stefan Stojanovic as a winger-forward ought to free up more varied contributions.
In the midfield, teenaged Nathan Worth is due to take another leap forward, and spotlighting his box-to-box abilities will be key. The 16-year-old absolutely needs to be given minutes to develop, but Sanchez has to find time for major pick-ups like Diogo Pacheco and Justin Portillo. Balancing things out will be crucial.
Arthur Rogers is the biggest addition of all, a tremendous creator that lit up League One for two years in Northern Colorado. He may share set piece duty with Portillo and lose a few of the 88 chance creations he picked up last season, but his initiation as a center back, a marauding right back, or a stand-and-deliver No. 6 is sure to be excellent. You can envision him or Bradley Bourgeois swinging diagonals into Patrick Seagrist on the left and allowing Alexis Souahy to sweep up defensively.
I’m concerned about an offense-tilted team getting run over in their own area; there’s little mettle down the middle. Maybe the Sanchez press is enough, and I optimistically lean that way, but nothing is guaranteed for Tulsa after another roster reset.
Hartford Athletic
In: Ngalina, Epps, Asiedu, R. Williams, Buckmaster / Out: Saydee, McGlynn, Hoppenot
Coach: Brendan Burke (New)
Projected Finish: 6th, Eastern Conference
When Hartford rebuilt their team from the ground up after 2022, it felt like a rush job, a roster lacking vision that resulted in an incoherent mix of past-their-prime veterans. Brendan Burke’s makeover this winter, by contrast, has made Hartford Athletic the team with the most upside in the entire USL.
Burke teams are fast-paced, relying on speed and ingenuity on the wings to open up the pitch and pin opponents back. To that end, Hartford went out and got four all-star wingers in the form of Marcus Epps, Enoch Mushagalusa, Deshane Beckford, and former USL Young Player of the Year Michee Ngalina. One of the set will likely need to operate as a No. 10 (I’m thinking Epps, the tightest dribbler of the bunch) but the firepower is remarkable. I’ve not yet mentioned Romario Williams, a 5’11” wrecking ball that can bully center backs and got 15 goals in a Burke-like system in Colorado Springs last year.
Anderson Asiedu must return to his peak Birmingham form as a No. 6 to make it work, but one of Marlon Hairston, Joe Schmidt, or Jay Chapman - none of whom are especially progressive - need to provide box-to-box balance as his partner. A step further back, there are a lot of veteran names, but I think the pivot will be an important shield.
Burke tends to prefer a deeper defensive line, which can help, and Joey Farrell has been under-praised as a rock-solid center back for years at this point. I suspect FC Cincinnati 2 star Joey Akpunonu starts to Farrell’s right, providing a tad more athleticism to support both him and right back Rece Buckmaster. Triston Hodge, meanwhile, ought to have an edge on the left over the lesser-known Emmanuel Samadia.
At the end of the day, Brendan Burke is revered for a reason, and his team will be extremely fun to watch at the very worst. Dillon Stadium deserves a winner, and Hartford may just have their best year since the expansion days.
For more: Burke to Hartford: why he's a fit
Indy Eleven
In: Barbir, Stanley, Williams / Out: Asante
Coach: Sean McAuley (New)
Projected Finish: 7th, Eastern Conference
It’s hard to look at the Indy Eleven squad and find any glaring flaws. There’s a lack of depth at the full back spots, and you’d like another winger in the mix with top-end speed, but those are quibbles for a roster that’s rock solid on paper. For whatever reason - tactical inflexibility, a possibly outmoded style, etc. - Mark Lowry couldn’t make it click. Now, new manager Sean McAuley must figure out a solution in his first-ever head job.
Indy has options on the field. An older midfield and less mobile attack won’t be ferocious in the press, but an athletic back line could feasibly sit high to compress the field. That’s pressure by proxy. The talent in defense, from Danny Barbir to Callum Chapman-Page to the flexible Aedan Stanley, fits back four or back three with equal efficacy. McAuley will be able to out-maneuver any opponent.
I’d expect a combo of Sebastian Guenzatti and Augustine Williams up top to shine no matter the shape. The former showed exciting growth as a grittier off-ball lane-clogger in 2023, and Williams’ premier No. 9 skills will allow Guenzatti to continue to mix it up. I do worry about the wide service; Jack Blake is wonderful, but a true left winger would go a long way, and Douglas Martinez’s work rate on the right can be a mixed bag.
You wish for a tick more heft and pace in the central midfield, but adding Tyler Gibson and underrated MLS NEXT Pro star Max Schneider is crucial in bolstering an already-great unit. Indy was derailed late in 2023 when Aodhan Quinn went out just as the team hit their stride; an unfortunate repeat wouldn’t have the same effect this year. We’ll know early in any case, with Quinn set to miss the opening few weeks as he recovers from that season-ending injury.
This club doesn’t quite have title potential, but Indy could be a postseason dark horse if they play their cards right. McAuley’s game management will mean a lot, and flexing this team’s versatility on the right occasions could put them over the top.
Las Vegas Lights
In: Adams, Garcia, Azcona, Asante / Out: literally everyone
Coach: Dennis Sanchez (New)
Projected Finish: 4th, Western Conference
Another year, another belated roster build for Las Vegas. This year, however, is filled with promise, as new owner Jose Bautista and new manager Dennis Sanchez lead the Lights into a new era that’ll hopefully be known for achievements rather than antics. Sanchez is something of a youth guru, and he helped coach Austin FC II to an MLS NEXT Pro title in 2023; he’s as promising a coaching prospect as exists in the United States at this point.
While an assistant in Charleston and Austin, Sanchez’s teams preferred a 4-3-3 style and a punchy trapping system in the midfield. Charlie Adams, the first player signing of the offseason, isn’t necessarily the first choice for an aggressive press, but he’s a terrific creator. No other No. 8 in the USL is as gifted at swinging in serves from the half spaces. He’ll need a No. 6 behind him to feel fully liberated, but a nascent partnership with Edison Azcona as a co-creator will certainly make this midfield dangerous. There isn’t a natural third man to complete the set; hybrid left back-holder Gennaro Nigro, a Real Salt Lake product, is likely the best bet.
Up front, Las Vegas’ signings fit the bill of free movement, energy, and self-driven offense. Christian Pinzon and Riki Alba are both right-foot-dominant wingers with a real eye for goal that could plug in across the front line. Alba, an import from Norway but a Dominican international, is a convincing pick as a false No. 9, if Sanchez is inclined in that direction. Flank them with Solomon Asante (51 goals, 53 assists in his USL career), and you could have something nasty in the final third.
Optionality comes in defense. If Sanchez goes conservative, Austin holdover Joe Hafferty will reprise a deep-ish set-up role on the right, and veterans like all-leaguer Fabien Garcia from San Antonio and Emrah Klimenta from Oakland will anchor the central spots. If Sanchez wants to introduce more punch, he could adopt a back three with Hayden Sargis - who he coached out of the Sacramento academy - in the mix and opt for voracious wing back Shawn Smart in place of Hafferty. Again, options; it’s a luxury this club has rarely enjoyed.
Suffice to say that the Lights have reinvented themselves entirely, and the baseline is in place for a much more competitive team than we ever saw in the Lashbrook days. I’m not saying Las Vegas is a playoff team - yet! - but the data already fancies them to climb out of the basement, and that’s a massive accomplishment for the Bautista regime.
Loudoun United
In: Valot, Dambrot, Francois / Out: Santos, Rocha
Coach: Ryan Martin
Projected Finish: 11th, Eastern Conference
I pay lip service to #PlayoffLoudoun every year, but this is the best chance the club has ever had at making real noise. The veteran pieces that Ryan Martin and the still-new ownership group brought in have the exact level of maturity and nous this club has long needed. Martin is the single most underrated tactician in the lower leagues, and this could be the year the USL pays attention.
For one, much of the core is back, especially in the attacking half. Zach Ryan, Tommy Williamson, and Kalil ElMedkhar found fast friendship last year, and they’re all here to do damage. Getting Florian Valot (11 assists in the last two seasons) to feed them and Christiano Francois (eight goal contributions in 2023) to stretch the defense around them is inspired team building. Ryan, a fluid mover in possession, is slated for a real step up.
The defensive improvements are subtler but equally important for a club that conceded 61 times last season. Keegan Tingey and Robby Dambrot are rock-solid full backs with upside on the overlap; Drew Skundrich could play on the right or form a stingy double pivot with Tommy McCabe. All boast legitimate lower-league tenure for a team that finally won’t be the youngest in the USL.
I’m not fully sold on Cole Turner and Yanis Leerman at center back, though Jacob Erlandson is the real deal as a left-sided piece that shone in a stacked Columbus Crew 2 team. Bringing in his former Crew teammate and FC Tulsa loan standout Keegan Hughes is a stroke of genius to assure depth. If one-and-a-half of them can hit, and if Hugo Fauroux can come good in net, the rest of this team is enough for the playoffs to be an honest possibility. Martin’s up-tempo pressing style requires a mix of fire up front and stability further back, and he may have the right personnel to let it rip for 34 weeks.
For more: Loudoun’s newfound balance
Louisville City
In: Ordonez, Gleadle, Davila / Out: Lancaster, M. Perez, Gibson
Coach: Danny Cruz
Projected Finish: 1st, Eastern Conference
What’s LouCity’s identity in 2024? Cameron Lancaster, Paolo DelPiccolo, and Oscar Jimenez’s 23 years of combined tenure have said farewell. Last season, Louisville was intermittently aggressive in the press, often abandoned a trademark high defensive line, and became one of the six most direct teams in the USL by pass length.
The offseason refresh undertaken by Danny Cruz is seemingly meant to restore some of the old-school principles. Taylor Davila is a box-to-box maestro with a deep variety of passes in his holster; his sharing of the creative burden could be the thing that allows Dylan Mares to recapture his old magic alongside the rest of the squad. Carlos Moguel and Elijah Wynder will fight for time, too. The former is probably the best No. 6 in the team, while Wynder will work his way into minutes all over the field thanks to a special blend of skill and athleticism.
Elsewhere, Adrien Perez and Sam Gleadle are counterattacking nightmares with wing back’s work rates. LouCity’s wide areas are two-deep at almost every spot, but Perez’s dribbling and Gleadle’s constant motor and vision around the box feel especially influential.
The back line is the undoubted strong suit of this Louisville squad. Arturo Ordonez may be the best defender in the entire league, and he’s built to shepherd in a back-three look. His ability to step up and intervene in the midfield is unmatched, and he'll take a weight off Sean Totsch’s shoulders. Damian Las could be the biggest add of all in net. Las has superior ball skills to his predecessors at goalkeeper, and he stopped 79% of shot attempts while leading Austin FC II to an MLS NEXT Pro title last year.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team poised to extend a never-ending streak of Conference Final appearances at Lynn Family Stadium. A few years of tweaks and refreshes have led to this, a juggernaut of a roster that ought to bring home a trophy.
Memphis 901 FC
In: Duncan, Meza, Deric / Out: Smith, Molloy, Kelly, Da Costa
Coach: Stephen Glass
Projected Finish: 9th, Western Conference
It’s a new era for Memphis 901, who earned home-field advantage in the East last season and summarily lost two of the best creators in USL history, all-league standouts at striker and center back, and their biggest-name signing at the No. 9 spot after a surprise offseason retirement.
That’s a bleak picture on the face of it, but Stephen Glass has set himself up nicely for his second season at AutoZone Park by leaning into neat and technical veterans. This team won’t be flashy, but functional pieces like Zach Duncan in the 4-2-3-1’s pivot, Oscar Jimenez at right back, and Noe Meza in attack are the sorts of additions that will pay off handsomely over the long haul of the season.
There are slight questions of balance. Either Duncan or Emerson Hyndman - assuming he can stay healthy - need to consistently emerge as a ball progressor in the midfield. Duncan, an A-League veteran, has shown those flashes in the preseason. Jimenez, at 34 years old, must be spunky on the overlap to complement the central action. Brought over after almost a decade in Louisville, Jimenez needs to get upfield to complement Luiz Fernando, a right winger that cuts inside like his life depends on it.
Lingering uncertainties in central defense arise from tactical preferences rather than a lack of options. Lucas Turci is a slick left-footed distributor at center back, but will the physical prowess of AB Cissoko win out? How does Tulu fit in after a limited season in San Antonio? No matter what, the stability of Tyler Deric (71% save percentage last year) is a marked upgrade in net, and Akeem Ward will continue to be all-USL at left back.
I don’t necessarily know how high Memphis’ ceiling is, but they have an eminently high floor. That counts for something in an otherwise-mercurial West.
For more: Deep-diving Memphis 901's preseason opener
Miami FC
In: Mejia, Gavilanes, Mitrano / Out: Craig, Stanley, Murphy, Akinyode, Telfer, Rivas
Coach: Antonio Nocerino (New)
Projected Finish: 12th, Eastern Conference
There’s a certain logic to zigging as everyone else zags, but you can take it too far. Miami committed hard to a youth-first, bottom-up rebuild this winter, and it may spell doom. This squad’s average age isn’t even 23, and they returned just three players from a near-playoff side, all of whom were rotation options last season. New manager Antonio Nocerino has a background in youth development, but he’ll need to pull off a minor miracle to get this side into contention.
For all that negativity, there are more than a few pieces worth watching in South Beach. Allen Gavilanes had eight assists in Greenville last year and could be a breakout star on the wing. David Mejia, a Peruvian youth international, was a feisty right-sided option during Atlanta United 2’s USL days and has only improved in the interim. Frank Lopez is a workmanlike and unselfish option at forward that’ll fit nicely between them.
Miami feels like they’ve built a League One team in a lot of ways. Gabriel Cabral is a returner, but his best season came with Tormenta in 2022. I think Andrew Booth is underrated as a chippy No. 8 and will shine as a starter, but he hasn’t cemented himself as a Championship regular either. Maybe former Tucson man Samuel Biek unlocks them both as a holder, and this team becomes a poster child for the USL’s talent pipeline.
I’m worried about the defense, which is also composed of League One-Championship ‘tweeners and has positively no depth; Ben Ofeimu will have his hands full as the elder statesman of the back line, though the Vegas-imported Mitrano-Ayimbila axis could be worse. Mitrano’s introduction means that this team could feasibly run a back three, which would really suit the wide attacking talent. Even so, there are just so many question marks at every level.
Maybe I end up surprised, and Miami ends up being spunky and competitive, but they feel like a team bringing a knife to a gun fight or a newborn colt to the Kentucky Derby.
For more: Scouting Allen Gavilanes
Monterey Bay FC
In: Trager, Archimede, Guzman / Out: Gleadle, Roberts, Volesky
Coach: Frank Yallop
Projected Finish: 12th, Western Conference
Though Monterey only missed the playoffs by a five-point margin last year, they had the same expected goal difference as last-place Las Vegas. 16 players are back for Frank Yallop despite the poor outcomes, 10 of whom were also on the roster in the club’s expansion campaign. None of the Monterey holdovers have ever sniffed a trophy while donning the Crisp and Kelp.
Yallop ended up running a 3-4-3 system during the business end of 2023, fostering one of the more vertically-oriented and direct styles in the USL. Playing with speed weaponized Alex Dixon and Chase Boone on the wings and Morey Doner at full back to the tune of a four-game win streak, but it couldn’t hold. Now, Monterey have lost two key cogs of their sparing offensive success: wide star Sam Gleadle and glue-guy midfielder James Murphy.
The response has been mixed. Tristan Trager is a wonderful add, a player with 16 goal contributions in the last two years and a Gleadle-esque work rate on the wing when called upon. Luther Archimede is more of a question mark, an athletic super-sub meant to replace classic No. 9s in Christian Volesky and Sean Okoli. They hint at even more vertical offense, but that’s belied by other changes.
At the back, Carlos Guzman, a Liga MX veteran and able carrier in defense, has come in from possession-obsessed San Diego, and he couldn’t cut a profile further away from that of the imposing Hugh Roberts at center back. He’s built for a patient game and completed more than 60 passes a match in 2023, but I suppose he’ll be tasked with hitting pinpoint diagonals over the top. No other changes came at the back for the West’s second-leakiest defense.
Excepting a breakout from Xavi Gnaulati, a wonderkid at the No. 8 or No. 10 spot, I don’t buy that there’s enough creativity to right last year’s wrongs. Continuity can be a good thing, and the additions make sense on a small scale, but Monterey needed a fuller reset for a core that probably can’t compete in the West.
New Mexico United
In: Micaletto, Akele, Danladi / Out: Moreno, Portillo, Suggs
Coach: Eric Quill
Projected Finish: 10th, Western Conference
I’m calling it now: no team will be as fun to watch in 2024 as New Mexico United. Eric Quill laid the groundwork for a new era in the back half of 2023, inaugurating a youthful 4-1-4-1 press that drove through the middle of the park. Mid-year pick-ups like Nicky Hernandez and Zico Bailey were resplendent, and they’re now charged with added responsibility given the exit of midfield veterans like Justin Portillo.
Upfield, Marco Micaletto and Mukwelle Akale were world-beaters in League One, winger-forward combos with quick feet and quicker shooting triggers. Dayonn Harris and Avionne Flanagan are rawer but faster, and they can pitch in as full backs or attackers as the moment dictates. None of the foursome is a guaranteed hit, but all have the upside to do damage. The onus will be on Greg Hurst to link them together as a No. 9, or on former #1 MLS Draft pick Abu Danladi to open space for them with his scoring and gravity.
What of the longer-tenured New Mexico contingent? A healthy Cristian Nava can play on the wing or bring energy in a No. 8/No. 10 hybrid role, given his two-footedness. Daniel Bruce and Harry Swartz can’t help but eat minutes from full back to forward and every in-between. Losing Chris Wehan in the preseason stings for sentimental reasons, but he was built for a different brand of football.
There’s a baseline of bubble contention solely because of the remainder of the old guard that’ll hold down the back line. Alex Tambakis and Kalen Ryden stand like Ozymandias in the New Mexico desert, bastions of necessary but unsexy consistency. I do worry about their ability to connect with a vibes-heavy, creation-light midfield, but this press is going to wreak enough havoc that fans at The Lab ought to expect excitement in the year ahead.
For more: Old and New in New Mexico
North Carolina FC
In: Da Costa, Craig, Conway, Martin / Out: Fernandes, Young
Coach: John Bradford
Projected Finish: 4th, Eastern Conference
Fresh off a USL League One title, North Carolina FC have splashed out and built a contender for their return season in the Championship. John Bradford liked a 4-4-2 on the way to last year’s silverware, a shape that denied the center of the pitch in the press but could vary in attack. Need to withdraw a forward and push the wingers high? A matchup dictates that you drop a full back deep to attack in a back three? Bradford always had the answers in 2023.
The current roster maintains that flexibility by combining bonafide Championship stars with potent returners. Oalex Anderson and Garrett McLaughlin could reprise their balanced two-man game up top, but Rodrigo Da Costa - who I think is a major MVP candidate this year - gives you more an instant injection of ingenuity and about 15 guaranteed goal contributions. The Brazilian can be an Anderson-style poacher or, as is more likely, support in the McLaughlin mold.
Rafa Mentzingen and Louis Perez are slick out wide and boast tier-two experience, and adding Evan Conway is icing on the cake. The former San Diego man may well form a partnership up top with Da Costa, but he’s got the complete game to pitch in all over the field. Either Conway or Perez can shift into a wing back role if North Carolina shifts out of the 4-4-2 in a phased-based look that they used in last year’s League One title game.
It’s a similar wealth of riches in the pivot, where Mikey Maldonado will be supported by Collin Martin and Jacori Hayes, two veteran No. 6s with ample USL and MLS experience. Martin stands out in particular; he’s the king of the little things, the sort of quiet intervenor and tempo-setter who wins you games without it every being obvious.
In defense, North Carolina need one of three new full backs to hit to support Nelson Blanco Flores (I fancy Justin Malou), and either Bryce Washington or Lamar Batista needs to be a consistent center back partner for Paco Craig. Jake McGuire must prove that he’s more than replacement-level in net. Still, this team feels like it has a proper vision, and their mix of continuity and star power shouldn’t be underestimated in the East.
For more: Can North Carolina FC hit the ground running?
Oakland Roots
In: Riley, Logue, Rasmussen, Chery / Out: Barbir, Morad, Klimenta
Coach: Noah Delgado
Projected Finish: 11th, Western Conference
Roots are knotty things that curl and intertwine without discernible form; Oakland’s Roots were a similar conundrum in 2023, the eighth-best team in the USL by expected goal difference but the 10th-place finisher in the West when push came to shove. For my taste, the Achilles’ heel was imbalance. The central midfield was oft-changing and couldn’t countervail to support immensely aggressive movement from the wide players in Noah Delgado’s 3-4-3.
The answer to the problem this winter? Reinvent the back line, sign a high-risk, high-reward striker, and don’t touch the faulty central midfield at all. There’s a method to the surface-level madness; additions like Camden Riley and Justin Rasmussen at center back could feasibly cover wide. Adding Niall Logue and towering Georgian Gagi Margvelashvili frees Neveal Hackshaw to play as a No. 6. All of the machinations give Oakland a safety blanket against regular international absences.
In the front three, Miche-Naider Chery, a Haitian terror who turned heads in the CONCACAF Champions League, could genuinely help out at the striker spot. If he comes good, 2023 bright spots like Johnny Rodriguez or Jeciel Cedeno will be liberated to work more actively off the ball within the classic Oakland 3-4-3. Cedeno is one to watch, having mainly served as a centerman in Hartford; he’d be a fascinating pair with Daniel Gomez or Napo Matsoso if Oakland can spare him.
When you’ve got Paul Blanchette saving everything in net, you have some leeway. Even so, the idiosyncratic offseason strategy for a team that had mismatched outcomes last year is holding me back. Oakland deserves a winner, and they’ve got ample talent, but a consistently successful 2024 is an no guarantee.
For more: Has Oakland done enough this offseason?
Orange County SC
In: Sorto, Zubak, Ferree / Out: M. Iloski
Coach: Morten Karlsen
Projected Finish: 6th, Western Conference
Orange County has lost just one regular starter this offseason. That would be considered a coup for any other third-place team in USL history. The problem? That missing piece is 2022 Golden Boot winger and one-man-offense Milan Iloski. Morten Karlsen developed a wonderful system to take this club to the upper echelons of the West in 2023, but can he do it again without the focal point of that system?
The 10 returning starters are worth their weight in gold. Kyle Scott and Kevin Partida combine to create a magical give-and-take of pressure and deep-lying creation at the heart of the 4-3-3. Scott drops to become the lowest midfielder in build, serving as a quarterback; Partida is the holder without possession, where his roving destruction is invaluable. Seth Casiple or Brian Iloski pay off the trio with creation closer to goal.
Ryan Doghman can’t help but get into dangerous positions from left back, and Owen Lambe is a ferocious crosser on the right. Dillon Powers and Marcus Nakkim are a hugely underrated duo at center back, too; Powers’ midfielderly passing gifts are a great match for Nakkim’s straight-man defending.
Youth is always front and center for Orange County. Duran Ferree might be the future of American goaltending, and I hope he gets the runway to shine as a thoroughly modern goalkeeper while on loan. Bryce Jamison is here, and he’s going to tear up the wing if he can break through a crowded attack. Watch out for Ashton Miles and Joey Buckley in the back line.
The efficacy of the additions will be the key question. Players like Charlie Asensio and especially Christian Sorto have shown sparks in the USL, but they lack aspects of Iloski’s dribble-pass-shoot triple threat. I like Ethan Zubak as a forward as well, but he’s not a self-creator. Maybe an internal solution like Cameron Dunbar or the aggregation of talent is enough, but lingering concerns foretell of slight regression in Southern California.
For more: Cameron Dunbar, Milan Iloski’s replacement?
Phoenix Rising
In: Cabral, Wyke, Rito, Azocar / Out: Trejo, Harvey, Arteaga, King
Coach: Danny Stone (New)
Projected Finish: 2nd, Western Conference
I don’t know what to make of Phoenix Rising. This club finished sixth in the regular season in 2023, lost their two leading scorers, and saw their manager jump ship after the roster was already set. At the same time, Phoenix looked so good in the playoffs, smartly hired Danny Stone from inside the existing staff, and kept enough core pieces that doubting Rising feels naive.
This team will almost certainly stick with the 3-4-3 format Juan Guerra and Stone brought to the table last year, one that’s possessive from the back (starting with goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo) and pressureful at the front. MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot winner Remi Cabral is going to be a hit at striker, and I’d like to see Darek Formella alongside him to round out the attack, though Erickson Gallardo or Fede Varela feels likelier at this point.
Panos Armenakas is the most important piece of all in the offensive trio. He’s the king of the hockey assist near the box, but his ability to dictate play from all areas will be key. He’ll have more space because of Juan Azocar and Edgardo Rito’s punch at wing back, and I could see him mounting a dark horse MVP campaign if things go well.
Rising is full of quality at the back; it’s their most solid and assured positional group. Laurence Wyke seems nailed-on as the right-sider in the back three, which I don’t love if it means Mo Traore loses minutes in the process of reorganization. Still, a full year of John Stenberg and Alejandro Fuenmayor’s implacability guarantee that Phoenix will be hard to break down.
A full year of playoff-like dominance would hinge on Fede Varela belatedly coming good or Giulio Doratiotto exceeding all reasonable expectations. At the very worst, expect an eminently solid team with a Panos-driven offense that competes for home field advantage.
For more: Breaking down Remi Cabral
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
In: Sterling, Cayet, Dick / Out: Dikwa, Ordonez, Ybarra
Coach: Bob Lilley
Projected Finish: 9th, Eastern Conference
Like a Jenga tower that never seems to collapse, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds have proved unimpeachable as their pieces have been picked away over each passing offseason. Losing Albert Dikwa, Marc Ybarra, Arturo Ordonez, Joey Farrell, and Jahmali Waite may be the tallest test yet, the one that finally topples Bob Lilley’s tower.
Lest you buy into that doomsaying, know that I’ve been wrong making this same prediction several times over, and there’s still plenty of reason to believe in 2024. The time-tested midfield of Kenardo Forbes, Robbie Mertz, and Danny Griffin is still elite. Forbes has aged like a fine wine in particular, and his defensive activity was crucial last year. Promising additions like Jackson Walti, an MLS NEXT Pro standout, will help the cause.
Patrick Hogan is queued up for a star-making season in defense, and further MLS NEXT Pro imports like Pierre Cayet - probably the most complete defender in the third tier last year - will only help the cause. Goalscoring is the outstanding albatross around Pittsburgh’s collective neck; Dikwa’s 20 goals are gone, and his heir apparent in Tola Showunmi also departed this offseason. Kazaiah Sterling must be the difference-maker. A product of the Tottenham academy, Sterling totaled 26 goals in the last two years in League One and can provide the all-encompassing attacking contribution that Dikwa lacked.
The thing about the Riverhounds is that they always find a way. The worst-case scenario at Highmark is that Lilley follows Detroit City’s example, bunkering into a defense-obsessed 5-4-1 that grits this club to the edge of the playoffs. The best - and likelier - case is that I’m missing the forest for the trees. Pittsburgh’s superior scouting and coaching will see them right back into contention.
Rhode Island FC
In: Dikwa, Vegas, Williams, Stoneman, McGlynn / Out: N/A
Coach: Khano Smith (New, like the whole club)
Projected Finish: 5th, Eastern Conference
No expansion team has ever made a splash like Rhode Island FC. Khano Smith, Michael Parkhurst, and their upstart organization made Koke Vegas - arguably the most technically gifted goalkeeper in the hemisphere - their cornerstone of a first signing. They poached two of rival Hartford Athletic’s best players in Prince Saydee and Conor McGlynn. They topped it all off by adding Albert Dikwa, a 20-goal scorer and Golden Boot winner in 2023. Rhode Island means business.
How this team will play is the big quandary. Koke Vegas hints at a patient and possessive system, as does his partner in crime from the San Diego back line, Grant Stoneman. On the flip side, hulking forwards like Dikwa and JJ Williams can support a direct offense or flick on passes to speedsters like Saydee or Jojea Kwizera. Smith is spoilt for choice.
Beyond the vertical-horizontal debate, Smith could also trot out a back three. Gabriel Alves is built to be a left-sided defender next to Stoneman, and Frank Nodarse is a similar prospect at the right-central defensive spot. Such a look would accommodate three forwards, rightfully giving a spotlight to Mark Doyle, an Irish import with impeccable timing crashing to the far post.
The central midfield is full of smart options like Marc Ybarra and McGlynn that can support aggressive trapping in the press. Squad rotation is also something to watch; Rhode Island’s squad is rife with MLS and MLS NEXT Pro talent that can fight for minutes but also allow for a hard-edged style. Ybarra gets tired? Joe Brito, Clay Holstad, or another rock-solid piece is available.
Can chemistry come quickly? A stretch of matches against Tampa Bay, Charleston, and Pittsburgh in succession heading into April will be the litmus test. Playoff qualification feels like the floor, and if that three-game span goes well, RIFC could be aiming a whole lot higher by the autumn.
For more: Anchors aweigh in Rhode Island
Sacramento Republic
In: Amman, Ricketts / Out: Keko, Lagrassa
Coach: Mark Briggs
Projected Finish: 1st, Western Conference
It’s easy to forget that the Sacramento Republic were very good in 2023. No team had a better goal difference, and a seven-point edge on top of the Western table was low, if anything. Rightly, then, Mark Briggs has mostly run the squad back, trading Keko for a healthy Rodrigo Lopez and the gritty, underrated versatility of Jonathan Ricketts as a do-it-all right-sider. Throw in Trevor Amann, he of 23 goals in Northern Colorado, and you see why this team is the odds-on favorite to win the conference again.
Briggs’ style is a consistent one. Active roving in the channels from the wingers and outside backs in the 3-4-3 constantly keeps defenses on edge. Between Jack Gurr (my MVP pick last season) and Russell Cicerone, there are dynamic counterattacking outlets all over the pitch. Watch out for Rafael Jauregui, who’s had a bright preseason camp and can bring skill in the final third.
Defensively, Sacramento uses the wing backs and one member of the pivot to great effect in the press, but the real strength comes in transitional phases. This team is terrifically drilled to hurry into their own third, forming a flatter 5-4-1 when the moment arises. Shane Wiedt, Conor Donovan, and Jared Timmer are sickeningly good in central defense, and they make life easy for reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Danny Vitiello.
Outside of a somewhat thin No. 6 spot, it’s impossible to poke holes in this Republic squad. This was one of the five oldest teams in the USL last year, and it feels like the time is exactly right for this veteran but still-primed group to get over the hump and take home a trophy.
San Antonio FC
In: Lambert, Agudelo, Haakenson, Windbichler / Out: Maloney, Farr, Garcia, PC
Coach: Alen Marcina
Projected Finish: 3rd, Western Conference
By all indications, Alen Marcina is pursuing a soft reset in San Antonio, turning a majority-new squad into something less spartan and more conventional than the #MentalityMonsters of yore. San Antonio’s average passing distance was nearly 14 yards last year; no other club even hit double digits. Converting a sword that sharp into a short-passing plowshare will be no mean feat, even with system-defining legends like Conor Maloney, Fabien Garcia, and PC gone.
The returning players need to stay healthy and live up to their lofty reputations for this team to come together. Mitchell Taintor was the best defender in the league in 2022 and didn’t miss a beat in 2023. He needs to maintain that level while showing more discipline as a passer. Meanwhile, Jorge Hernandez will be crucial agnostic of tactical tweaks; he can be a classic No. 10 if Marcina’s alterations come good, or he’ll continue to excel as the sole source of downtempo panache and incision in a more hectic set-up.
There’s a distinct lack of wide players of any tenure on the roster (Lucas Silva is promising as a slaloming left back), but the additions down the middle have been voluminous. Richard Windbichler has a bizarre Korea-by-way-of-Austria resume and tons of class as a center back or destroyer. Luke Haakenson is wonderfully versatile option in the attacking midfield out of Nashville, but who does he displace? Juan Agudelo contributed to 22 goals in two years in Birmingham, and he has the physicality to fit like a glove as a Marcina-style second striker.
Kevon Lambert is the king of all the signings. An elite ball circulator, carrier, and intervenor as a No. 6 or center back, the Jamaican international and Phoenix Rising legend will likely start on the right of the back three, but he could just as easily pop up as a No. 8 if Marcina goes 4-3-3. He’s the sort of piece that immediately makes San Antonio significantly better.
Ultimately, dismissing a team because I don’t see the roster vision is a fool’s errand, especially with this much talent around. Still, something feels ever-so-slightly rotten in the state of Texas. Alen Marcina has earned trust, but this squad seems too slapdash to wholly win me over.
For more: Sizing up San Antonio
Tampa Bay Rowdies
In: Farr, Moon, Arteaga, Bodily / Out: Antley, Williams, Ekra, Sparrow
Coach: Robbie Nielson (New)
Projected Finish: 2nd, Eastern Conference
After a disappointed and surprising first-round exit in the playoffs, Tampa Bay wasted little time in returning most of their core; almost 70% of 2023 minutes played are back. The big decision was to supplement them with new manager Robbie Nielson. A back-three man like Neill Collins before him, Nielson is a veteran of the Scottish game and brings a no-nonsense style.
Preseason evidence hints at a 3-4-3 in which the front line is expected to contribute to the press. Offensively, Tampa Bay may be less direct, even after a season where “long ball to Cal Jennings” was the best route to goals in the USL. Manuel Arteaga isn’t as physical as JJ Williams, but he has a softer touch and is mobile enough to play as a hybrid winger-forward.
The wing back spots look greatly enhanced via ex-San Diego Loyal stars Blake Bodily (nine assists last season) and Nick Moon (six goal contributions while healthy in 2022), though Conner Antley’s defensive heft is a loss on the right. Using Jordan Doherty in the back line feels like a misstep, but if he and Aaron Guillen can zip into the channels out of the back three, I’ll eat my words. With Jordan Farr as the backstop, let the defenders run wild!
A healthy Leo Fernandes is the clear X-factor in the front line, but this Rowdies squad is still formidable without him. There’s not an easy way to fit him into the squad while giving Lewis Hilton and Charlie Dennis enough runway in the midfield, which is a great problem to have. The fact that I can even hint that a player of Fernandes’ caliber isn’t 100% vital says it all about Tampa Bay: they’re very deep and feel like a shoe-in for home-field contention come October.
Oh, and they’ve got hoops!
For more: Breaking down Tampa Bay’s preseason loss to Atlanta