Riverdale defender switches from SEC to ACC

Chidi Okonya of Riverdale High switched from Tennessee to Duke in December and signed with the Blue Devils.

Three things to know about Okonya:

1. High intellect: Riverdale coach Terry Herrod describes the 6-foot-7, 225-pound Okonya as a warrior with an Ivy League intellect. That's what Duke coach David Cutcliffe landed when Okonya switched from the Volunteers to the Blue Devils.

2. Stepping forward as a senior: Okonya had 42 tackles, five sacks and recovered two fumbles his senior season at Riverdale, earning his a spot in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl.

3. Find the training table: Okonya didn't begin playing football competitively until the eighth grade, but his talent is undeniable. "His best days are ahead of him," Herrod said. "Once he adds weight he has a chance to be a really good player in the ACC. Duke is the perfect school for Chidi."

About the Author

David Purdum

After delay, Georgia Southern knows its Birmingham Bowl opponent

Sun Belt rivals Georgia Southern and App State will play in the Birmingham Bowl, ccording to Brett McMurphy of On3.

Kennesaw State learns bowl fate, QB gets wish of ‘someplace warm’

Kennesaw State will take on Western Michigan in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. It is the program's first-ever bowl game in just its second season in FBS.

Kennesaw State rolls to third straight win over rival Georgia State

Kennesaw State won its third game in a row, this time against in-state rival Georgia State, 92-69. It was the Owls' third straight win.

The Latest

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Atlanta TV sports listings

2h ago

After delay, Georgia Southern knows its Birmingham Bowl opponent

Kennesaw State learns bowl fate, QB gets wish of ‘someplace warm’

Featured

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

When ICE takes breadwinners, it takes a toll on families ... and on the economy

For immigrant families, brushes with ICE can result in financial precarity that could have implications for the broader economy.

‘I’m a bad kid,’ he told himself. How Georgia’s special ed program failed one child.

Parents find that it's easy to get into the GNETS program, but in some districts, difficult to leave.

‘A lot of blame, but not enough action’: Atlanta leaders lack path to fix jail

Stakeholders across Atlanta and Fulton County grapple with a complex web of issues that contribute to overcrowding, crumbling structure.