G2 Minnesota BO7 Season Preview
G2 Minnesota Black Ops 7 Season Preview: Farewell Rokkr
The offseason is officially over, which means the Call of Duty League is finally here. With new franchises, a great competitive game, & new rosters across the League, it is shaping up to be one of the best CDL seasons to date.
Minnesota joined the party this offseason, retiring the Rokkr naming in favor of G2. To represent the newly fitted team, the coaching staff went to work looking for talent. After signing a mix of veterans & potential, they have started to look like a dark horse team early in the year. In this season preview, we’ll dive into G2’s offseason moves, key players to watch, and what are their expectations compared to the competition within the CDL.
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📸 Photo by @G2CDL
Offseason Recap: Krempus Unleashed
Signings:
+ Kyle "Kremp" Haworth
+ Paul "Mamba" Solano
+ Cesar "Skyz" Bueno
Departures:
- Kenneth "Kenny" Williams
- Giovanni "Gio" Webster
- Dylan "Nero" Koch
Going into the offseason, fans would not have known what to expect from Minnesota. It was clear that the team was going to do a squad wipe but how would they rebuild? In the past, it was mostly centered around veterans with a couple of swings at younger prospects but hasn't been able to fully pay off just yet.
Now with their roster complete, they had followed a similar model but have players that look like they fit together well. Through multiple preseason tournaments, the team looks to be one to watch out for.
The G2 Minnesota roster heading into Black Ops 7:
○ Justice "Estreal" McMillan
○ Kyle "Kremp" Haworth
○ Paul "Mamba" Solano
○ Cesar "Skyz" Bueno
○ Daniel "Loony" Loza (Coach)
○ Alex "Alexdotzip" Purpora (Coach)
Offseason Reactions
Ronnie: "Unsurprisingly, Rokkr has decided to keep faith in Estreal, a young and talented SMG who had a fantastic first half of last season. However, his performance did dip once Kenny joined the roster. I personally like the direction they took this year. Picking up Kremp was a no-brainer, and Mamba also makes sense given his performance last season in Challengers
The one big question mark for most people is Skyz. Personally, I have no issues with this decision. You don't become a bad player overnight, and while he had a poor season last year, we shouldn't forget all the good he has done in previous seasons. The only concern I have is the pacing of the AR duo. However, if they can find a good balance, I think this roster could turn out to be a nice dark horse."
Easy Mac: “Minnesota got a lot of flak on socials for their team building in the past, but this year looks a little different & could've already paid off. Keeping Estreal is smart; he's been a good player, but it seems like we haven't actually seen his best yet. Adding Kremp as his SMG duo brings in a player that will boost your confidence & give a good baseline in Search & Destroy.
With the AR backline, again, it was smart to get Mamba before the other organizations around them made the move. He's got a lot of talent, and I think pairing him with Skyz will get the best out of him. Cesar will, like Kremp, add a boost in SND while being a leader for the team. The roles all make sense on paper, and we've seen in preseason events that they can compete with the best teams. They are easily one of the teams I'm excited to watch this year.
Season Expectations
Ronnie: “For me, making champs should be the aim, especially after the poor showing last season and in MW3.
I believe the players will be motivated to make a few appearances on Sundays throughout the season and might even have a Cinderella run at one of the events. Last season, no one expected the Vancouver Surge to achieve what they did, so who’s to say Minnesota can't do the same? I think this roster has the right work ethic to accomplish such a feat."
Season Predictions
Best Placement: 4th
Team MVP: Kremp
Final Regular Season Seed: 8th
Will they qualify for Champs: Yes
Easy Mac: “I want this team to qualify for Champs, but the bottom of the CDL is going to be so, so closely contested. It's going to be between them, Boston, New York, and maybe some more teams for the final 2 spots really for Champs. I give Boston the slightest of edges currently due to the known factor in Nastie & Snoopy, but I would not be shocked to see Minnesota well above them.
For G2 specifically, though, I think Top 6 is the goal. Anything better than that would be a good success for them & increase their chances at Champs. The early form looks extremely promising, so maybe they could be this year's Carolina with scoring loads of points in the opening two stages. This is a team to watch out for in the midfield battle, though."
Season Predictions
Best Placement: Top 6
Team MVP: Kremp
Final Regular Season Seed: 9th
Will they qualify for Champs: No
📸 Photo by @CODLeague
Players to Watch in Black Ops 6
Ronnie: Justice "Estreal" McMillan
"Estreal had a disappointing second half of last season after a strong start. He has struggled to find the right SMG duo that complements his playstyle, but on paper, Kremp could be exactly what he needs. Estreal is at a crossroads; he is a young, promising talent with significant potential for growth, but he risks becoming just another average SMG in the league if he can’t put it all together for a full CDL season."
Easy Mac: Kyle "Kremp" Haworth
"Kremp has always been a great player in Search & Destroy but, sneakily, he has been one of the best players in Control. With that mode now out of the rotation, I want to see him play well in respawns over the course of an entire season. He has shown through the preseason events that he has the talent & has been one of the biggest stock risers so far in Black Ops 7. There will be a lot of weight on his shoulders to perform well & help Rokkr fight into the playoff picture."
Stage 1 Matches
Qualifier Match 1: December 6th vs Cloud9 New York
Qualifier Match 2: December 7th vs OpTic Texas
Qualifier Match 3: December 12th vs Boston Breach
Qualifier Match 4: January 9th vs Riyadh Falcons
Qualifier Match 5: January 11th vs Carolina Royal Ravens
Qualifier Match 6: January 18th vs FaZe Vegas
Qualifier Match 7: January 24th vs Toronto KOI