Nashville SC kick off their first full season under head coach BJ Callaghan tonight. They've promised "Nashville 2.0", a the new and better version of the team after they missed the playoffs last year.
While last year was bad, this is a club that had sustained success from 2020 through 2023, and despite complaints about style of play, former coach Gary Smith left a legacy of consistency that sets the bar for success under Callaghan fairly high.
If Nashville are to take a step forward in 2025 and compete for a trophy, there are 11 big questions that need to be answered.
Will BJ Callaghan prove to be a high-level MLS head coach?
Callaghan arrived in Nashville with a high profile due to his experience in MLS and with the U.S. National Team, as well as his success as the US interim manager where he won the 2023 Concacaf Nations League.
While some of the initial progress was positive during Callaghan's 11 matches last season, the ultimate goal of making the playoffs was not reached. With a new-look roster built to play his preferred style, now it's time to show that he's the right man for the job and that the changes he's promised can be consistently implemented and will return Nashville to relevance in the Eastern Conference.
Can Nashville turn Geodis Park into a fortress?
Nashville won just five games at Geodis Park last season. Since the stadium opened in 2022, the Coyotes have won just 20 regular season matches, a 37.7% win rate. Only six sides in MLS have had a worse win percentage at home. Only five average fewer points per game at home.
You can't be a good MLS club and be bad at home. Nashville have to consistently win matches at home for the first time since playing at Nissan Stadium.
Will Hany Mukhtar return to form?
Between 2021 and 2023, Hany Mukhtar put up legitimately historic numbers, scoring a staggering 57 goals and 34 goals.
With his assist tonight, Hany Mukhtar is just the second player in MLS history with 10 goals and 10 assists in three consecutive seasons.
— Ben Wright (@benwright) September 24, 2023
The only other player to do it? Preki (1996, 1997, 1998). One of the best three-year stretches in league history. #EveryoneN pic.twitter.com/0PvfSoFM63
While he wasn't bad in 2024, his eight goals and 10 assists were a massive drop from his prior form, both reflecting and contributing to the poor form of the entire team.
Mukhtar showed glimpses of his former self under Callaghan, logging three goals and three assists in the final seven matches of the year. In a system that emphasizes playing with the ball and creating chances, Mukhtar should be put in positions to succeed. But for Nashville to reach their ceiling, Mukhtar will need to produce.
Can Mike Jacobs' roster-building philosophy compete with the best teams in MLS?
Mike Jacobs' initial roster building philosophy has been compared to Billy Beane's moneyball philosophy, and while Jacobs would argue it wasn't a strictly "moneyball" approach, he's certainly emphasized finding value in undervalued players.
There were certainly some successes - namely Hany Mukhtar, one of the best signings in MLS history - but there are also limitations. With Callaghan, he's pivoted towards younger players who can grow and develop with the coach, with a healthy mix of MLS veterans sprinkled in.
Jacobs was preceded by Smith. Callaghan is the first time he's been able to bring in his choice at head coach. The pressure is on to show that he's made the right decision, built the right roster, and is the man to carry Nashville forward as they look to make a significant evolution.
Is Sam Surridge a Golden Boot-caliber No. 9?
Sam Surridge has consistently been the best DP No. 9 Nashville have ever had. With Jhonder Cádiz and Aké Loba as his only competition, though, it's not a high bar.
Sam Surridge is one goal away from tying Aké Loba's total goal record in Nashville. He's played 44 minutes. #EveryoneN
— Ben Wright (@benwright) August 12, 2023
Surridge bagged 15 goals in all competitions last season in a team that struggled to provide him consistent service. His underlying numbers were solid-if-unspectacular, and he's been an early beneficiary of BJ Callaghan's tactical adjustments.
Nashville signed him to be an elite striker in MLS, though, and the jury is still out. Heading into his second full season in MLS, Surridge needs to put all questions to bed and prove that he's the goal-scoring option Nashville need.
Can Gastón Brugman stay healthy?
Gastón Brugman was signed to be a crucial piece of Nashville's midfield rebuild. The 2024 MLS Cup MVP is the most dynamic passer Nashville have, and should in theory be the metronome in the heart of midfield, capable of splitting defenses and finding attackers in space in a way no midfielder has been able to do since Dax McCarty.
"For me, he's the guy who who we want to get on the ball and run the show off of," Callaghan said in the club's Made In Gold series. "We need to speed it up. He's a player that we want to play through to speed the tempo up. If we want to slow it down and control it, he's a player that will can can do that."
Nashville have built their midfield around Brugman, and he undeniably has the quality to be that piece. His health, though, is an entirely different question. Throughout his three seasons with the LA Galaxy, he's played more than 1,800 minutes just once, starting 21 of his 22 appearances in 2023. The other two seasons? No more than 1,200 minutes and 14 starts. Injuries have really limited his playing time.
Unfortunately, he's already hurt to start the year. He made just one appearance in preseason (in the club's very first match), and hasn't played a friendly since mid-January. Nashville are already starting the year with a crucial piece injured. It's not exactly easing concerns about his long-term availability.
Can Walker Zimmerman still be an elite defender for a full season?
A four-time All-Star, five-time Best XI and two-time Defender of the Year, Walker Zimmerman is one of the best center backs in MLS history. He's been a cornerstone of Nashville's success since 2020 and is the leader of the club.
International duty and injuries have limited his availability for Nashville - he's started just 22 matches in three of the last four seasons. After playing through a painful Achilles issue in 2023, he underwent surgery in the offseason that was supposed to finally let him play pain free. Just when he'd returned to full fitness, though, a freak knee-to-knee collision required another surgery and another seven games missed.
With questions about his long-term future in the last year of his Designated Player deal, Zimmerman needs a strong season to give him a many options as possible next year. Nashville will be hoping to lock him down to a new contract, while also hoping their captain can stay healthy and elevate the rest of the defense. Zimmerman is still an elite player, but greatest real strength is making everyone around him better.
Who is the third attacking option?
Nashville have never had three double-digit scorers. Their best attacking trio peaked in 2021, with Hany Mukhtar (16 goals), CJ Sapong (12) and Randall Leal (8) giving them the most functional and rounded attack they've ever had.
With Callaghan targeting at least 50 goals this season, Nashville can't be fully dependent on Mukhtar and Surridge to score all the goals. They badly need others to step up and find their scoring form. Whether it's Alex Muyl – who bagged five goals after Callaghan took over and looks set for a starting role on the left – or Tyler Boyd – returning from a torn ACL later this spring – they need another option in the final third.
Encouragingly, they recently signed winger Ahmed Qasem for a reported $4.2 million transfer fee. The Swedish youth international has an intriguing profile, and looks capable of making their attack much more dynamic.
Are Nashville's young players ready to contribute?
Nashville are banking on being able to identify and develop young talent, whether it's a highly-rated homegrown like Chris Applewhite or promising young talent from the USL Championship like Matt Corcoran. Callaghan's history of coaching in the youth levels was a significant part of his hiring.
For the first time, Nashville will play young players in key matches. It will open up an entirely new category of players for the club, but will also bring an element of risk and unpredictability. It's high time Nashville took chances on young players, and most clubs around MLS are ahead of them. But they also need their young players to step up when called upon.
Is Jack Maher the long-term answer?
Nashville's first-ever pick in the SuperDraft, 25-year-old Jack Maher has been a key member of Nashville's defense since 2021. While he has an incredibly high ceiling and has made over 100 league appearances, he's also shown some inconsistencies, especially when partnered with someone other than Walker Zimmerman.
Especially with questions around Zimmerman's future with the club, Maher needs to solidify himself as a long-term starter for Nashville. He'll have to stave off competition from Jeisson Palacios and Josh Bauer to hold down his starting spot, while also putting in assured performances, cutting out the dips in form he's had in the past.
Can Nashville identify pieces for the future?
13 players on Nashville's roster will either be out of contract or have club options at the end of the season. Nashville made sweeping changes to the squad in the offseason, and have the flexibility to do so again after the 2025 season.
This could be a two-year rebuild for Nashville as they attempt to turn this team back into a contender and a roster that can play the way that BJ Callaghan wants to. While 2025 should be geared towards rediscovering on-field success, it's also going to be about finding out which players deserve to stick around and be part of this project going forward.
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