The Dallas Fuel is having a rough time in the first season of the Overwatch League, and the team's struggles continue with the release of its coach and star DPS player.
The Overwatch League has certainly had its fair share of drama and controversy in its inaugural season. One of the biggest storylines is the underperformance of the Dallas Fuel, which was one of the early fan favorites.
Dallas Fuel Fire Coach Kyky, DPS Player Rascal
The Dallas Fuel have released head coach Kyle "KyKy" Souder and star DPS player Dong-jun "Rascal" Kim. This is the latest in a series of roster changes for the struggling Overwatch team.
Souder, who previously coached Team Envy in Overwatch Contenders and APEX, will be replaced in the interim by Dallas Fuel assistant coach Emanuel "Peak" Uzoni.
"While we recognize many of the challenges Kyle faced with the Dallas Fuel were beyond his control, there comes a time when change is necessary for the team to move forward and we felt that time is now," said team owner Mike Rufail, fueling speculation on who or what has really caused the team's underperformance.
Meanwhile, Kim is a South Korean player who was acquired by the Dallas Fuel from the London Spitfire. The addition of Kim, who played for the Dallas Fuel starting the Overwatch League Stage 2, did not go smoothly.
In a statement, Rufail said that the team hoped to add flexibility to its DPS lineup with the acquisition of Rascal. However, the player's commitment to the team has not met expectations, and Rascal's refusal to properly communicate with his teammates in recent Overwatch League matches have become "a large distraction" for the Dallas Fuel.
Will The Dallas Fuel Be Able To Turn It Around?
The Dallas Fuel was expected to perform well in season 1 of the Overwatch League, but the team has so far failed to meet expectations. It is currently in 10th place out of 12 teams, with a 6-18 record.
The controversies surrounding the Dallas Fuel started with the suspension and then the eventual release of Winston player Felix "xQc" Lengyel. Minseok "OGE" Son, Lengyel's replacement, was also suspended.
The Dallas Fuel are now looking for someone to replace Souder as the team's head coach and will hire Kang "Vol'Jin" Min-Gyu, from the South Korean eSports organization Meta Gaming, as an assistant coach.
It remains to be seen, however, if the latest roster moves will be enough to turn things around for the Dallas Fuel. It may be too late in season 1 to make some noise, but if the Dallas Fuel solve their communication and teamwork issues, it may start building a good foundation to come back better and stronger in Overwatch League season 2.
