What Ryan Day's Wife Told Him Is Non-Negotiable When Son R.J. Plays Ohio State

Ohio State coach Ryan Day and his family are in a transition period.

Day's son, R.J., committed to the Northwestern Wildcats as part of their 2027 class and is a potential starter in Evanston as a three-star quarterback pledge and a top-70 player from Ohio out of St. Francis de Sales in Columbus.

In an exclusive interview with The Cover 3 Podcast (CBS Sports), Ryan Day shared how R.J.'s decision has impacted his family and what his wife, Nina Day, thinks of the father-son dynamic.

Long and short of it, Ryan and R.J. Day are competitors. At the end of it all, it's four quarters of competition with family bonding afterward. Even though the opposite sideline dynamics are a year away, the expectation of family first is loud and clear, Ryan Day said.

"I would have to disguise some things on him because he's very good in terms of recognizing things," Ryan Day said of R.J.

What Ryan Day Said About Coaching Against His Son

It's easier said than done, however, Ryan Day said when it comes to how his wife views the head-to-head matchups. The father-son series is set to begin next fall when the Buckeyes rematch the Wildcats in Evanston. This year's game, meanwhile, is set for Saturday, Nov. 14 in Columbus, but it will have standard implications as usual.

"So we're going to have to show blitz one way, get him to check it, and then bring it the other way. [His mom] literally said, 'If you play him and blitz him, I'm going to kick your ass.'"

In May, R.J. Day told Eleven Warriors why Northwestern was ultimately the best chose for his career long term.

“It's obviously a really, really cool opportunity and something that's very unique to this situation,” RJ Day said, referencing playing for newly hired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. “Whenever you get to do something that someone in your family did before you, it's a great honor.”

R.J. Day said that having the double prioritization of athletics and academics is what drew him to commit to Northwestern after all.

"The guys in the building, there's a lot of really good players in that building that people might not see yet," R.J. Day said. "Just being around them this weekend, I got to see that and seeing them at practice, so there's a lot of upside. And then obviously the third thing is that the investment on the university side, just the fact that they're so invested in football now.”

We'll see how seriously competitive Ohio State-Northwestern games become. But it will just have to wait a little while longer.

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