Fresh from
NRG's convincing opening victory against Cloud9 (2-0) at the
VCT Americas Kickoff, Logan
"skuba" Jenkins sat down with
Sheep Esports to share his initial thoughts on the 2026
new roster.The American player discusses NRG's first match, from their dominant performance on Pearl to their more controlled approach on Breeze. He also gives insights into the initial role adjustments around Georgio “
keiko” Sanassy and the areas the team will focus on in the coming weeks to maintain their position at the top and prove their
Champions Paris run was no fluke.
This match marked the start of NRG’s 2026 season, and you’re coming in with the world champion label. What are your impressions after this victory, with the new version of NRG?
Logan "skuba" Jenkins: "I’m happy with the result. We came in with the mindset that we want to do what we want to do and not worry too much about the other team. It worked really well on Pearl, we were absolutely dominant. On Breeze, we had a great first half. In the second half, we struggled a bit with what Cloud9 was doing, but we didn’t want to reveal anything extra about our Breeze, so we kept going. Overall, it went great for us.
You had big moments today: multi-kills, a Viper 4K on A, and you closed the game with the Sheriff. How did that feel?
skuba: I’m honestly mad I didn’t get the ace. I still haven’t aced in VCT, not at Champions, and not here. I was telling everyone to jump for me because I needed it, but v1c (Victor Truong) got me.
Malkolm "bonkar" Rench said he might play instead of you. Would NRG still have won if bonkar played?
Skuba: If bonkar played, it would have been a completely different match, maybe even more one-sided for us. When we practice with bonkar, he’s the best in the world. He was trolling with the tweet. I hurt my hand a little bit, but he exaggerated it a lot. I’m completely fine; he was just trying to get reactions.
What were your impressions of the new Cloud9 roster?
Skuba: On Pearl, there isn’t much to say. We rolled them, and they didn’t really have a chance. On Breeze, they had a good defensive game plan. Overall, it feels like the same Cloud9 as last year: if they have a good day, they’re a really hard team; if they have a bad day, it’s easier.
If there’s one aspect NRG needs to improve quickly to stay at the top, what would it be?
Skuba: We need to stay fast with our plans and make sure we’re always one step ahead of the enemy. If we keep that up or improve it even more, that’s the key to success in VCT Americas.
Compared to your Champions run, what changed the most for NRG since Sam "s0m" Oh’s departure and Kiko’s arrival?
Skuba: Losing s0m matters because he was the funny guy, the vibes guy. He kept everyone laughing and helped prevent tilting. keiko is quieter, which is fine, but he’s not going to be s0m. So mada (Adam Pampuch) and I try to bring more energy, and Ethan (Ethan Arnold) too, because we lost a bit of that energy with s0m. In-game, though, I feel like we play very similarly.
We’ve seen role adjustments: keiko on Sentinel on Pearl, then Duelist later, and you on Astra before going back to Viper. What’s the idea behind those swaps?
skuba: It’s not a full swap; it’s similar to what we had before. On certain maps, we think some Sentinels should be more with the team while the Smoker plays more of a lurker role. For example, on Pearl, Astra is more of a lurker, and our Killjoy is more with the team. That’s the main reason you saw it today. I’ll still play Sentinel lurking roles too.
Skuba lifting the Champions 2025 trophy - Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
After winning Champions, do you already feel the target on your back? How do you deal with that?
skuba: It didn’t cross my mind today. I feel it more from fans; there’s a lot more support, and that’s the most noticeable change. I haven’t felt added pressure yet from being the reigning champions, but we’ll see as the season goes on.
Do you think the overall level of VCT Americas has gone up this year with roster moves and rookies?
Skuba: A thousand percent. Almost every team upgraded, in my opinion. Maybe G2 Esports stayed around the same level, but I think every other team made changes that improved them.
Your journey proves grinding matters, from Tier 2 to Tier 1, then winning Champions quickly. What’s the most important growth you made as a player that allowed you to reach this level?
Skuba: My time at Cubert Academy helped me learn the Sentinel role and gave me more flexibility. If you can play multiple roles at a high level, you’re more appealing to teams. That would be my advice for Tier 2 players trying to break through: learn another role.
What’s the biggest gap between Tier 2 and Tier 1, and what did you personally have to work on to compete with the biggest names?
Skuba: The biggest gap is being uncomfortable on stage and dealing with variables. In Tier 2, you’re at home on your setup, and everything is the same every match. In Tier 1, the environment changes: it can be hot, your chair can feel different, and your setup moves. You have to tune that out and still play your game.
After winning it all, how do you stay hungry? What motivates you now?
Skuba: We talk a lot about not being complacent. We won Champions, undefeated, and we added a new player. We want to show everyone it wasn’t a fluke. I’ve heard that a lot. We want to prove we can play at this level for a long time and hopefully win another trophy this year.
What do you think about the current meta and map pool changes Breeze and Pearl returning, and new additions like Bandit?
Skuba: I really like the map pool. Breeze and Pearl are fun to watch, with aim-heavy maps where people are constantly taking fights. It’s fast-paced and entertaining for viewers. The meta feels very open right now. I think some teams will play a lot of Chamber. I also think Waylay is very broken right now. If you’re not playing Waylay, you’re making a big mistake.
Over the next few weeks, what are NRG’s main priorities to stay at the top? And what would make this season a success?
Skuba: For the next two weeks of practice, the priority is refining what we want to do on maps and making sure we come into every match prepared. We’re not too worried about anti-stratting yet this is our first official match with the new roster, so it’s hard for teams to anti-strat us right now. For the season, my personal goal is to win the Masters London, for keiko. We call him the “King of London,” so that would be special. As a team, the goal is to make international events. If we do that, it’s a big success."
