As we reported last week, Team Liquid announced their Call of Duty competitive roster. Alongside the familiar player handles and former Curse CoD manager Caleb Anderson, a new name was announced as the team’s Analyst: TiberiusAudley.
Born Tyler Hicks but adopting the name TiberiusAudley online, Team Liquid’s Call of Duty analyst is relatively new to the scene, but very familiar with eSports. A former Halo coach, Audley is also an avid League of Legends player. TiberiusAudley is also an MLG alum, writing about Call of Duty for MLG.tv’s eSports Report.
As for his new job, Audley’s analyst role is one not employed often in the competitive Call of Duty scene, though it could be argued CoD coaches perform similar duties. Coaches were banned from many tournaments on the North American circuit after Call of Duty: Ghosts, but they are still in employ by other teams around the world. With Team Liquid’s announcement, it appears an outside coaching/analysis role is still viable on the North American scene, though we probably will not see some of the more visible coaching of years past.
eSports Source’s mostlybiscuit talked with Tyler Hicks/TiberiusAudley, who works for Team Liquid as a Console Team Analyst to find out what an analyst will do for a Call of Duty team, and why the position is needed.
MB: Team analysts are something uncommon in competitive Call of Duty. What exactly will you be doing for Team Liquid’s CoD team?
TA: I will just be analyzing their opponents’ draft strategies, mostly. What they ban, whether they wait to see if an opponent bans it first, what they prioritize protecting, et cetera. Similar to what LoL analysts do at a base level (though the more in depth ones in LoL track ward placements, jungle pathing, item build timings, et cetera).
I’m going to also going to make sure the team’s communication is on point.
MB: What goes into deciding the draft picks?
TA: I’m not sure, I’m still relatively new to CoD, and my primary focus with TL is Halo, but I am going to be drafting a big spreadsheet in Excel for helping the team decide what to prioritize vs whom.
MB: Will you be like a coach and stand behind the team at tournaments to help with picks and bans?
TA: Not to my knowledge!
MB: What is the role of an analyst in other eSports titles?
TA: It’s to track stats, find trends, and watch game film to pick up player tendencies to prep your team for their opponents. It’s similar to a coaching role, but less directive and more informative.
MB: What are your predictions for this TL squad as they move through the Challenger series?
TA: I’m not sure how to predict them since I haven’t followed CoD since 2013. From what I’ve been told about their scrim results, though, they’re hanging in with some of the top teams in the CWL, so I think we should be in good shape.
My focus for the CoD team right now is making sure we’re ready for the competition at UMG next month.
UMG Carolina will be February 12-14 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. eSports Source will bring you live coverage from the event.
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