QB R.J. Day, son of Ohio St, coach, commits to Northwestern

Field Level Media|published: 05/10/2026, 1:52pm EDT

St. Francis DeSales quarterback R.J. Day, son of Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, stands on the sideline during a recruiting trip to Purudue prior to the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. on Nov. 8, 2025.

Rising senior quarterback R.J. Day, son of Ohio State coach Ryan Day, announced his 2027 commitment to Northwestern on Sunday on social media.

He chose the Big Ten Wildcats over schools which included Purdue, Syracuse, Cincinnati and South Florida.

A three-year starter, Day has set career marks in passing yards (5,714) and touchdowns (54) at St. Francis DeSales High in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound signal-caller recorded school single-season records for yards (2,710) and touchdowns (25) as a junior in the fall of 2025.

Coach David Braun's 2026 roster has eight quarterbacks, including Michigan State transfer Aiden Chiles and freshman Johnny O'Brien.

Day is scheduled to play under the tutelage of first-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who was the play-caller when Ohio State won the 2024 national championship. The former Oregon, UCLA and Philadelphia Eagles head coach served in that same capacity at New Hampshire when Ryan Day set school records as a quarterback for those Wildcats from 1998-2001.

--Field Level Media