Talking Preps: Previewing Week 6, MaxPreps RPIs, new Mr. Football Updates, state rankings

A new Talking Preps goes live Tuesday (9.20) at 8 p.m. with replays after.

On tap:

▪ On “Rapid Fire,” we’ll discuss the NCHSAA’s playoff qualification system, which uses computer-generated RPI rankings.

▪ Grice features his “Grice’s Gems,” the state’s top players from last Friday: Jaylen Alexander-Raynor, East Forsyth; Mason Fortune, Millbrook; Aaron Steele Logan, Charlotte Latin; AJ Sirianni, Community School of Davidson; and Mooresville’s Jawarn Howell.

▪ Forest Hills QB Brady Hibbard stops by to talk about how since moving from Charlotte to Marshville -- and leaving Providence High -- he’s helped the Yellow Jackets to one of the best starts in school history. And he’ll face off with Greiner on “The Game Show.”

▪ Chelsea sits down with another quarterback having a great season, chatting with Elijah Holmes of the unbeaten Olympic Trojans.

▪ This week, Grice has again updated the Mr. Football lists, and he’s added rankings, plus a list of guys on the bubble for the recognized N.C. player of the year award.

▪ Alex is back with new N.C. rankings, his top 10 games of the week, and his “Firestarter.” He wonders if the NCHSAA should help bring replay to high school football.

▪ The Grice is Right eastern game of the week is South Garner at Cleveland. In the West it’s Hough at Chambers. Grice has his weekly expert breakdown.

▪ We’ve also got four new “Fresh Faces,” the stars of tomorrow: South Mecklenburg’s Cash Hunter; Asheville Christian’s Javier Rice; North Stanly’s Cam Smith; and Southeast Raleigh’s Marqeice Wilson.

▪ Finally, in “Coach vs. Coach,” Grice and Greiner “discuss” the following: whether high school football should play JV and varsity on the same day and site to save costs and increase sales; what’s more important — a great defense with a poor offense, or vice versa; and which high school football rule is outdated and needs the boot.

How to watch/listen

Watch the show right here on this page — or on The Charlotte Observer’s Twitter, Facebook or YouTube pages. It is also available on the News & Observer’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Talking Preps and Talking Preps are also available wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple, Megaphone and Spotify.

This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 2:29 PM.

Langston Wertz Jr.

The Charlotte Observer

704-358-5133

Langston Wertz Jr. is an award-winning sports journalist who has worked at the Observer since 1988. He’s covered everything from Final Fours and NFL to video games and Britney Spears. Wertz -- a West Charlotte High and UNC grad -- is the rare person who can answer “Charlotte,” when you ask, “What city are you from.” Support my work with a digital subscription