After finishing in last place with a single win through the 2023 LEC Winter Split, Excel Esports might be making some major changes to its League of Legends coaching staff before the start of the new season.
The team is reportedly parting ways with head coach Joey “YoungBuck” Steltenpool and assistant coach Sng “Nelson” Yi Wei, making way for new leadership behind-the-scenes at the U.K.-based organization, according to esports reporter Alejandro Gomis. There hasn’t been any indication of who will be replacing the two coaches for the upcoming Spring Split.
Before the start of the new year, many people held Excel Esports’ new roster in high regard due to the relatively promising amount of firepower they had on paper. Featuring the likes of Odoamne, Vetheo, Patrik, Targamas, and Xerxe, the roster’s floor was relatively high for a newly-created team, while the ceiling was a possible championship contender for many fans and analysts alike.
As the split began, however, the team struggled to fit the puzzle pieces together. As individual stars, the roster was impressive, but they weren’t able to build a game plan that fit the talent they had at their disposal. A lack of cohesion and coordination led to Excel’s downfall, and it was clear in the way they stumbled through almost every facet of their matches.
Excel not only led the league in total team deaths through the Winter Split, but they also had the third-worst average gold difference at 15 minutes of any team in the LEC, according to competitive League stats aggregate Oracle’s Elixir. Across the league, Odoamne had the lowest KDA, Patrik had the most deaths, and the team placed the least amount of wards of any roster in the LEC.
Looking toward the future, Excel could run things back with the same roster, especially since the team has only gotten three weeks to play together before getting eliminated from playoff contention. A new head coach could help mesh these stars together, and if the org can find the right person for the job, we could see Excel make an epic comeback when the 2023 Spring Split begins.
