Part 6 in our team-by-team preview where we try to answer these questions: how could they succeed, and how could they stumble?
One Knoxville SC
It seems like only yesterday that we got the surprise announcement that One Knoxville SC was being promoted from USL League Two to USL League One. But someone had to replace FC Tucson when they self-relegated to USL2, and One Knox was ready.
Fast forward to the week before the regular season and the roster they put together has a lot of us impressed. All-league defender Jalen Crisler joins other USL1 mainstay defenders Jordan Skelton and Derek Waldeck, along with Jan-Erik Leinhos (Louisville City). The midfield will feature Callum Johnson (LA Galaxy 2), Angelo Kelly-Rosales (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Frank Ross (Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch top-flight), Yesin van der Pluijm (Colorado Springs Switchbacks). And up front, veteran forwards Ilija Ilic (New Mexico United), Jake Keegan (Greenville Triumph), Ahinga Selemani (Maltese top-flight), and Jimmie Villalobos (Chattanooga Red Wolves). The roster is backed by goalkeeper Sean Lewis from Indy Eleven.
This impressive group of veterans is joined by some of the best from the 2022 USL2 squad, including forward Sebastian Andreassen, midfielder Sam Fletcher, defenders Dani Fernandez and James Thomas, and goalkeeper Peter Swinkels.
How One Knoxville SC could succeed in 2023
Solid veteran leadership trickles down
For an expansion club, One Knox SC is stacked with veteran leadership. The club specifically brought in Forward Ilija Ilic to act as a player-coach after his impressive seven years at the USL Championship level. Midfielder Angelo Kelly-Rosales brings another five years of experience at that level. Frank Ross brings multiple seasons of experience at the top levels in Scotland and the Netherlands. Defender Jordan Skelton captained a successful Greenville Triumph squad in 2022, alongside Derek Waldeck. Jalen Crisler was a mainstay of a stingy Richmond defense for the last two seasons. Jimmie Villalobos and Jake Keegan were mainstays of high-powered Chattanooga Red Wolves and Greenville Triumph offenses for the last two years.
This is a solid foundation around which the club built an inaugural roster. If this core of veterans, many of whom have experience with winning clubs can help lead the rest of the roster, this could be a win-now season for One Knox.
How One Knoxville SC could stumble in 2023
They suffer the expansion blues
With any expansion team in any sport, there is always a question mark, because the players have not played together as a team. While many expect big things out of this roster, we won’t know if they click until the season gets going.
If the roster ends up not meshing, the club simply won’t see the success that is currently expected. As an expansion side, it won’t be the end of the world. They’ll just build on the experience and hope to improve over the next few years.
But then again, USL League One is where expansion sides can be competitive.
Last year’s expansion sides, Hailstorm FC and Fuego FC came surprisingly close to the playoffs and produced bonafide USL1 stars along the way. But it’s never a guarantee.
However, given the general chaos of a 32-match season in the third division, the top six slots in the table are up for grabs. One Knox SC may have built something designed to win now in such a system.