The Minnesota Rokkr will have the honor of being the first host of the inaugural season for the Call of Duty League. The team brought aboard a blend of young and experienced talent, being led by coach Brian “Saintt’ Baroski, a longtime, decorated Call of Duty player. The rich experience of Baroski along with the team’s fresh additions could make the Rokkr dangerous for the historic first season.
Recap of Pre-Season
An impressive run by the Rokkr throughout pre-season online tournaments included winning two of the five events. A runner-up finish was also included in their performances, starting off on the right note before the start of the regular season.
Standing out the most was the fact that the wins were back-to-back. Resiliency was on display after a relatively short start.
Roster
The roster features a strong blend of youth and experienced world champions going into year one of the Call of Duty League.
Head Coach/General Manager: Brian “Saintt” Baroski
Assistant Coach: Jake “REPPIN” Trobaugh
Flex: Alex “Alexx” Carpenter
AR Player: Adam “Assault” Garcia
Flex: Adam “GodRx” Brown
SMG Slayer: Obaid “Asim” Asim
Substitute: Kaden “Exceed” Stockdale
Substitute: Devin “TTinyy” Robinson
Flex: Justin “Silly” Fargo Palmer
Coaching Background
Baroski is a former professional Call of Duty player who began playing the game heavily starting with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Before starting his COD journey, the longtime gamer played a ton of Gears of War before making COD into his career.
Halo was another game he was very good at. His skill led to him competing in a tournament, teaming up with fellow Esports stars Matthew “NaDeSHot” Haag, Seth “Scump” Abner and Joe “MerK” DeLuca. Since trading in his controller for a headset, Baroski has had a solid run of coaching.
In 2019, he enjoyed three top 10 finishes in CWL Pro League events which includes two top-fives. His resume alone speaks for itself, and if his consistency keeps up with this brand new team, it can truly boost the Rokkr’s chances this year.
Player Background
Alexx is a highly consistent player, who had a nice run in 2019, finishing top 10 in four of his five most recent tournaments. He enjoyed plenty of early success as well, winning the EU MLG 2K and then finishing runner-up twice in 2017. Alexx is currently a Flex player.
Assault is the AR Player for the Rokkr and could be one of the more dangerous players going into the season. He won the Call of Duty World League Championships in 2018 and helped the Rokkr win the CheckMate Gaming title as well as the GameBattles Premium tournament in 2019. In that 2018 Championship, Assault won the MVP.
GodRx is a Flex player who enjoyed a top-five finish at the 2019 Call of Duty World League Championships. He also was teammates with REPPIN’ who is now both the assistant coach and analyst for the Rokkr. With REPPIN knowing GodRx’s play style and approach it should only make things even better for the Rokkr.
Asim is an SMG Slayer who is the second-youngest player on the team only behind Exceed. He was once one of top amateur players in the world and has the potential to be a rising star in the Call of Duty League. One of his biggest achievements to date includes the MLG 2K in 2018.
Exceed is one of the substitutes for the Rokkr and is the team’s youngest player. Turning pro just last year, Exceed already added an impressive accolade to his resume; a win at the MES Detroit Open. He has the chance to become an extremely valuable player for the Rokkr this season.
TTinyy is another substitute who brings a bit of veteran leadership off the bench, having started his pro career in 2017.Before joining the Rokkr, TTinyy had his share of success, winning the MLB GameBattles Miami event and the UMG Gaming Prime last year. He and Exceed can be a formidable duo off the bench.
Lastly, Flex player Justin “Silly” Fargo Palmer is the oldest player on the Rokkr and helped his former team win the Call of Duty World League Championship in 2018. He will be reuniting with the aforementioned Assult who captured the MVP after winning the title. Silly is the oldest and most experienced player on the roster, going pro in 2013.
Schedule Analysis
Homestand Locations & Dates
CDC Launch Weekend – Minneapolis 1/24-1/26 2020
TBD
TBD
TBD
Most Anticipated Game of the Year
The Minnesota Rokkr vs. the Dallas Empire on Launch Weekend could be a dandy. With two former World Champions and MVPs squaring off in Assault and Clayster, this could be a great opportunity for the Rokkr to show that they could be a team to be reckoned with in the inaugural season.
It will also be interesting to see how they take on Crimsix, the winningest player in professional Call of Duty history. Both teams are equal in that, they both have rich depth from top to bottom, making this early season match a must-watch.
Player to Watch This Season
Assault will undoubtedly be the player to watch after his MVP performance in the 2018 Call of Duty World League Championship. He has a ton of experience and is currently at the peak of his powers.
The whole roster will be interesting to watch all season, with its depth. However, Assault could be the one to assert himself early as one of the best players in the Call of Duty League.
Keys to Success This Season
The Minnesota Rokkr will need to rely on good coaching and veteran leadership to make some noise. Additionally, the cozy depth that they have makes it very possible for a strong first season. With experienced coaches like Saintt and REPPIN leading the way and longtime players like Assault and Silly on the team, it’s almost like having four captains steering the ship.
Combine the veterans with the slew of young talent, and one has the potential for some rising stars on the roster. If one of the young guys can break out in their first season, and if the experienced players can continue to be consistent, there’s a good chance that the Rokkr could be serious contenders.
Featured image courtesy of the official Minnesota Rokkr website