Everyone seems to be demonstrating a lot more confidence in our defensive back line than I. We lacked the size and physicality needed at the national contender level, and what size and physicality we had went to the MLS with Duggan. I'm not certain his skill set and leadership been replaced this offseason.
I also see a bit of a worrying sign that we brought in a junior transfer goalkeeper this late in the game (after we already brought in Janjic from Serbia) and is probably yet another sign that Rose may not be seen as fully ready in goal.
The Memphis transfer who was the AAC PotY, Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos, has been listed as a forward and is wearing the #7 (though he played as a midfielder last year for Memphis). He had 14 goals and 5 assists last season, so I suspect he's now our scoring threat from wherever he is on the field at all time. Sordo becoming a full time starter at midfield in interesting, he absolutely took our a couple games last years
With Linker (14 goals), Simon (7 goals), and Silva (7 goals) pushing forward with Sordo, Okiyoshi, and Stjernguard at midfield, I think we'll again be near the top of the nation in scoring...
... but I'm scared to death about our defensive line, especially when they play that other team in the state which is legit good enough to win it all this year. They return 9 starters, and brought in two All-SBC first teamsters (Ethan Dekel Daks from South Carolina and Simon Carlson from Georgia State). They thumped a USL pro team in their spring exhibition). They will be even better this year. I would be unsurprised to see them as preseason #2 in the country.