Life in USL League One rarely stands still, and this offseason has been no exception.

From head coaching changes – including the arrival of a United States Men’s National Team to his first chance in the professional ranks – to movement into the league from the USL Championship and overseas, the 2024 season is promising to be a fascinating one.

With that in mind, we asked our friend from Backheeled.com and USL Tactics John Morrissey to cast his eye over each of the league’s clubs and tell us what we should be looking for in terms of style and key players this season.

Here’s the breakdown you need to read before the season kicks off this weekend.

Central Valley Fuego FC

It’s a new era for Central Valley Fuego FC under former United States international and new Head Coach Jermaine Jones, and this team will be defined by a skillful midfield in 2024. Jose Carrera-Garcia will remain as the tempo-setting, patient anchor in the center of the pitch, and he’ll have license to push upfield thanks to the defensive presence of classic No. 6 Chris Heckenberg in what’s shaping up to be a three-man core. Fuego were caught between extremes last season, hesitant to go direct – they ranked seventh in long passing rate – but lacking incisiveness in possession.

Jones’ choice of a three- or five-man back line to flank that midfield core could define the season. Central Valley has a spate of high-upside options at wing back that could benefit when opponents clamp down in the middle; that leans toward a shape with three center backs to bolster the defensive zone. Still, a 4-3-3 look would spotlight potential breakouts like David Diaz on the wing. Jones has a blank slate, and he’ll likely get creative to get this team back into contention.

CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

On the way to its League One Final game appearance last season, Charlotte rode goalkeeper Austin Pack and a stellar back line to defense-first success out of a baseline 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 look. The Independence would space the pitch by pushing their full backs up the field, but the advances were always balanced out by deep drops from midfielders like former United States international Miguel Ibarra, who would then have space to pick out passes.

Still, Charlotte’s strength came in the press, where its speed on the wings and heft in the pivot created a virtuous cycle of turnovers and fast breaks. There were moments of almost man-to-man intensity throughout the year, and the Independence have returned most of their core to keep the magic going. Bringing in club legend and stalwart center back Hugh Roberts could signal a return to more of a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 concept.

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC

Head Coach Scott Mackenzie has options this season, with enough help in defense via Gustavo Fernandes and Leo Folla to run a back three but the quality up field from Ricky Ruiz – who is set for his second stint with the club after earning All-League One First Team honors in 2021 – and a spate of returners to use an attack-tilted 4-3-3. A formation with Jonathan Filipe and Lucas Coutinho as dual No. 10s could pay off handsomely in the latter case, lending Chattanooga ample possessive control in the offensive half.

Further back, the Red Wolves can vary in how aggressive they want to be. If attacking strength is the goal, a shape with three center backs and natural wingers Ruiz and Jamil Roberts could be an option. If conservatism and solidity are the priority, expect Fernandes to play as a deeper-seated right back. Both choices are valid, and they speak to the fact that the Red Wolves have greatly improved their depth for 2024.

Forward Madison FC

With former League One champion Ferrety Sousa joining the Flamingos on top of a wonderful set of center backs and the prodigious play of Stephen Payne on the right, Forward Madison has all the tools to run a back three system in 2024. Sousa and Payne won’t lack for targets either; Madison has prioritized classical, physical No. 9s to top their shape in Christian Chaney and Juan Galindrez.

That said, FMFC isn’t the fastest team at the back, even if its defenders are unassailable in settled situations in their deep block. With that in mind, expect a midfield that takes on a box-to-box slant more than a creative one. There’s still plenty of skill on the table from Nazeem Bartman, but new faces like Jimmie Villalobos and John Murphy – League One stalwarts both – are built to support the defense and shuttle play into the attacking half with equal quality.

Greenville Triumph SC

Greenville was the most vertically-oriented team in League One last year, struggling to turn a unique positional system marked by tucked-in full backs and clever movement into consistent offense. With John Harkes’ departure and Rick Wright stepping into his shoes as Head Coach, Triumph SC will likely pursue a simplified and increasingly controlled look based out of a 3-4-3. To that end, classy midfield additions like Sebastian Velasquez and skillful rookie forwards like Ben Zakowski and Mohamed Seye will help the cause on top of a gifted returning strike corps.

Will offensive reinvention compromise a strong defense? Greenville’s mid-height line and swarming press were strengths, but a lower-tempo and more creative midfield could encourage back-to-front reinvention. Given that Wright is a long-term assistant for Triumph SC, I’d expect a similarly patient and positional defensive strategy to that of 2023.

One Knoxville SC

Stout but rarely explosive in their expansion season, One Knoxville SC is likely to reprise its 3-4-3 formula with added verve on the wings. Kingsford Adjei is an outside-in scoring threat in the forward line, and numerous of the club’s offseason recruits at the wing back spots are capable of stretching opponents. Two-way options like Stuart Ritchie and James Thomas bring vivacity at those spots without sacrificing defensive solidity, upping the ante for a club whose attacking shape looks like a 3-2-5 at its best moments.

Head Coach Mark McKeever leans towards a more possessive style, and his center back corps is capable of keeping the ball on the ground when need be. That’ll be useful in the season ahead, but adding Charlie Machell – a pinpoint passer on cross-field switches – to the midfield in front of those skillful defenders will be a useful source of variety.

Lexington SC

New Lexington SC Head Coach Darren Powell is a pragmatic manager who knows how to build around a roster’s strengths, and he’s added substantial piece let Lexington’s stars shine. A defensive reinvention will do wonders for Tate Robertson out wide, allowing the precise crosser to dominate on the flank with less of an onus in his own area. Cameron Lancaster’s 75 league goals for that other Kentucky club are evidence that he can pin opposing defenders back and perfectly suit Robertson’s service.

The main decision point will come in the middle of the park. Can Jayden Onen, Ates Diouf, and David Loera split minutes as second strikers or No. 10s without leaving the midfield wide open? Powell may hold a high defensive line and allow athletic center backs like Cuban international Modesto Mendez and Ebenezer Ackon step into the midfield to plug holes as they arise. This team could easily run a back three or back four depending on the matchup at hand.

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

The Hailstorm are built to run on the sidelines this year, and they’re likely to run with a 4-3-3 concept to get there. Expect imbalance: Lucky Opara is underrated for his consistency and reliability at left back, which allows Northern Colorado to push up on the right. Bruno Rendon at full back and Trinidad and Tobago international Noah Powder on the wing will interchange with one another, taking turns tucking inside or sprinting to the endline to challenge opponents.

To maintain integrity and fend off counters that such a scheme leaves vulnerable, Northern Colorado will rely on do-it-all center back and former League One champion David Garcia to get the job done. There’s plenty of optionality in the midfield as well, and Danny Robles’ ability to step up as a deep creator while also putting in the effort to shield the back line could be crucial; adding Isidro Martinez will help that cause as well.

Union Omaha

Head Coach Dom Casciato’s 4-4-2 system is defined by its inside-out control of the match. Defensively, Omaha allows its full backs to close down aggressively, but those advances are meant to drive opponents into the waiting pivot and are always counterbalanced by smart rotations on the weak side. Up top, the two-striker look morphs to feature a high man and a low man, both of whom rove from side to side to deny clean passing lanes.

In attack, Los Búhos let both of their full backs get upfield where they can receive on the end of diagonals. The midfield shape is quite square, with the two wingers tucking high and inside to accommodate the overlaps as the pivot sits deep to create from lower positions. Ultimately, this is a patient team with the ball, but it knows when it’s advantageous to up the tempo and go direct.

Richmond Kickers

One of the most possessive and ground-based teams in League One, Richmond have run back the spine of their 4-3-3 and will continue to pursue a system that orbits around Emiliano Terzaghi’s do-it-all excellence at striker. Converted attacker Max Schenfeld will help the cause at left back, boasting an excellence on the overlap that should open up the center of the pitch, let Nil Vinyals create, and ultimately end up with the ball at Terzaghi’s feet.

That three-man midfield starring Vinyals can often lack balance. Two midfielders tend to sit further ahead, leaving Zaca Moran Correa unshielded as the lone No. 6. The Kickers have acquired a few central players to potentially add balance including James Vaughn and Adrian Billhardt, but it’s something to watch for a team that needs both offensive and defensive improvements to compete this season.

South Georgia Tormenta FC

Tormenta and Head Coach Ian Cameron play a modern game, emphasizing both ball-dominant attacking and a high-pressing defending within the context of a 4-2-3-1. By keeping most of the back line together in Statesboro but reinventing the midfield and front line, Cameron isn’t breaking with that mold. Conor Doyle and Daniel Steedman are skillful enough to break down opponents on the ground, and striker Sebastian Vivas pairs scoring with a work rate that will play in the press.

Fluidity and trickiness from the wingers has been important for Tormenta in the past, and Aaron Lombardi will add that in spades from left back. He’s a vivacious option that can complement Nick Akoto on the right, close hard to the halfway line, and add a needed spark in complement to the ever-moving members of the front line.

Spokane Velocity FC

The first manager for expansion Spokane Velocity FC, Leigh Veidman was a back-three maestro with OKC Energy FC but an assistant for back-four adherent Ben Pirmann with the Charleston Battery thereafter. His Velocity roster is shaping up in the latter direction, with a midfield that’s built to control the game and counterpress aggressively. Wingers like Pierre Reedy and Morgan Hackworth have shown defensive chops in the USL Championship and will often pinch inside to compress the opposition.

If that’s the case, Spokane will have open areas out wide that will perfectly suit Derek Waldeck and Romain Metanire at the full back spots. Both have shown an undeniable ability to bomb up the sideline and create chances, and they’ll get a chance to do so in Washington. Imagine them being fed by Luis Gil, a nine-assist man in Omaha last season, and you can see why expectations ought to be high in Year 1 at ONE Spokane Stadium.