There are three constants in life: death, taxes, and frequent coaching changes in the USL. Zero managers in the USL Championship’s Western Conference have been with their club for more than two full years. Charleston’s Ben Pirmann is the longest-tenured coach in the league, yet he joined the Battery as recently as 2023. USL League One’s abundance of expansion teams skews the numbers, but only four of 17 current managers have lasted three years.
As we sit between the end of the regular season and the conclusion of the playoffs, it’s likely that heads will start to roll. The Las Vegas Lights were the first movers, opting to part ways with Devin Rensing last week; conversely, the Richmond Kickers gave interim manager Brian Ownby their permanent position. Whether you’re hiring or firing, this is the window to get it done.
The nature of the USL’s recruiting windows makes the timing of a coaching decision difficult to divine. By this time of year, the typical USL team has already made their player retention decisions and agreed to a handful of contracts with prospective free agents. Clubs with a sporting director overseeing recruitment might not feel stressed, but part of the goal of changing managers is to refresh your roster-building vision. Act later than early November, and that won’t be possible for 2027.
With all that in mind, which clubs look likeliest to make a coaching change, and which seats feel hottest as we look ahead to the season ahead?
Open (and open-ish) jobs
After missing the playoffs yet again, the Las Vegas Lights axed manager Devin Rensing – who only got one full season to mold a roster and instill a sense of style at Cashman Field. Rensing did well to turn the Lights into a slick 4-4-2 attacking team that finished top-three in the West for field tilt (54%) and passes per possession (4.5). Still, he couldn’t find a defensive balance and was undone by inconsistent goalkeeping.
Whoever comes next in Las Vegas will be the club’s fourth manager in four seasons. Rensing and Dennis Sanchez were ball-on-the-ground purists; to say Antonio Nocerino had any sense of tactical clarity would be overly generous, but he did like to build short to bait pressure before pushing upfield. Taken together, those examples make it clear that sporting director Gianleonardo Neglia is building toward a specific brand of attacking soccer, and that will surely influence the Lights’ search.
