Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day’s Son Opts To Forge His Own Big Ten Football Path

Ryan Day's son made a potentially life-changing decision Sunday regarding his college football pathway forward.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day walks to the field during the Ohio State football spring game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day experienced a life-changing moment Sunday, and it had nothing to do with his football team.

Instead, Day entered into his next evolution as a father for his son, R.J. Day, who announced his college committment Sunday. Even though R.J. Day won't follow his father's lineage exactly, R.J. Day will becomw part of the Big Ten for the Northwestern Wildcats as a member of the 2027 class.

R.J. Day, a 3-star 6-foot, 207-pound quarterback according to Rivals, narrowed his list to the Wildcats, Purdue Boilermakers, and the University of South Florida before ultimately choosing the Big Ten for his immediate future at the college level.

On3's Hayes Fawcett made the news official just after 10 a.m. ET.

Ultimately, R.J. Day was drawn to the Wildcats for a few reasons. More specifically, though, he did forge a similar path to his dad, as he'll be guided by newly hired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly in Evanston. During Ryan Day's college career, Kelly coached him as the offensive coordinator at the University of New Hampshire, making it a full-circle moment.

Even before making his decision, R.J. Day told ESPN just how much of an influence Kelly was on him.

"It's really surreal when you think about the relationships that we've had with those two as a family over the years," R.J. Day said. "Coach Kelly coached my dad in college, so that adds another layer to it."

R.J. Day was a star at St. Francis DeSales High School, ranked as the 78th-best quarterback in the country and 44th-best player in the nation as his college career looms.

Even though both father and son are going their own separate ways, it will be able to create new memories for both of them. The Buckeyes and Wildcats will play each other the next two seasons, with the 2027 matchup being a reunion of sorts in Evanston. Despite the said reunion being two years away, it's one of those games that will be a must-circle moment for the entire family.

Regardless of which team wins, it'll be a game neither side ever forgets as those matchups only come few and far between with the current Big Ten scheduling format, the evolution of the sport and how R.J. Day's career may play out.

For now, we'll see what happens. But, for now, R.J. Day is another step closer from transitioning from the high school to college level.