Multiple head coaches are looking for a new home after being let go by their organizations during the Overwatch League’s brutal 2022 offseason, but some teams are looking inward heading into next year.
The Atlanta Reign announced today that former tank player Blake “Gator” Scott would be the team’s new head coach.
Yesterday, longtime head coach Brad “Sephy” Rajani retired from his position in order to become a remote analyst for the team. Gator will be the first new head coach the team has seen since its inception.
Gator was previously a main tank player for the Atlanta Reign, joining on a two-way contract from ATL Academy out of Overwatch Contenders in 2019. He was a key part of the team in 2020 and 2021, but only played one game during the 2022 season. Atlanta released Gator, along with five other players, at the start of the offseason.
“Excited for the opportunity and new challenges,” Gator said in a tweet.
Atlanta has yet to comment on the contract status of its three remaining players from 2022, including tank Xander “Hawk” Domecq, DPS Kai Collins, and support Kim “vigilante” Jun.
The team’s peak was in 2021, when the Atlanta Reign faced off against the Shanghai Dragons in the season’s Grand Finals. Though Shanghai took them down with a 4-0 score, it was a franchise highlight. The Reign made it to the 2022 postseason bracket, but were sent home by two consecutive losses to the Florida Mayhem.
