A new Day is coming for Chip Kelly.
On Sunday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s son, RJ Day, committed to Northwestern, where Kelly became offensive coordinator ahead of the 2026 season. RJ is the No. 86 quarterback and No. 1,361 overall prospect in the 2027 recruiting class.
Super excited to announce my commitment to further my football and academic career at Northwestern University!! Thank you to everyone along my journey who has made this possible from my family, @BradMaendler , the Desales coaching staff and Jay Hooten at the Armory. Excited for pic.twitter.com/3hLTnjsdSf
— RJ Day (@rj_day1) May 10, 2026
Northwestern offered him on April 18, marking his 18th Division I offer and fifth from a Power conference program, joining Boston College, Cincinnati, Purdue and Syracuse.
Kelly previously coached Ryan Day at New Hampshire, where Day was a three-year starter and team captain from 1998-2001. Day later joined Kelly’s staffs with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. Kelly then joined Day’s Ohio State staff in 2024, helping lead the Buckeyes to their ninth national championship.
After the title run, Kelly left for the Las Vegas Raiders but was fired after 11 games. A month later, he resurfaced at Northwestern.
RJ has been prolific at DeSales High School in Columbus. Last season, he set single-season school records with 2,710 passing yards and 25 touchdowns while also breaking the program’s single-game passing record with 482 yards in a Division II, Region 7 playoff win over Ashland.
Entering his senior season in 2026, RJ already owns DeSales career records with 5,710 passing yards and 54 touchdowns. He is the sixth commitment in Northwestern’s 2027 recruiting class.
