The funny thing about legacy in college football is that it doesn’t always go where you expect it to. Ryan Day has spent years building a powerhouse in Columbus, but his son, RJ Day, is out here building his own lane. And this weekend in Dallas, he gave programs a reason to do a double take on his recruitment. 

At the Overtime OT7 circuit, RJ Day proved his efficiency. Running with SouthFL Express, he went a clean 5-0 with zero interceptions in what is arguably the most talent-packed 7-on-7 scene in the country. But if you look at his X post, it’s a big recruiting pitch. Tagging major sports outlets and analysts like 247Sports, On3, Pete Nakos, and Allen Trieu, he made sure the right people noticed. 

The timing is notable as just two days before the OT7, RJ Day popped up in Blacksburg, smiling alongside head coach James Franklin, the same former Big Ten rival Ryan Day has gone toe-to-toe with for years. And now, his son is touring Virginia Tech facilities and building relationships. But this ACC connection is not really weird considering what the Ohio State head coach previously endorsed before. 

We’ll get to that later but first, back to RJ Day who “had an amazing time in Blacksburg” surrounded by a “beautiful campus and amazing staff.” He spent time with QB coach Danny O’Brien and looks forward to bonding. But for now, there’s still no offer from the Hokies. James Franklin is casting a wide net for 2027, adding names like David Davidson, Peter Bourque, and DJ Hunter. While Ryan Day’s son is in the mix, it’s not official yet. 

The hesitation says as much as an offer would because RJ Day is a legacy player who isn’t just riding a famous last name. If you need proof, go back to November in the playoff win for St. Francis DeSales. He dropped an unofficial school record with 482 passing yards, and delivered a game-winning score in crunch time. And maybe that’s why he already holds 16 Division I offers from schools like Purdue, Syracuse, Cincinnati, and more.

Ohio State is missing from this list. Why? According to insiders like Jeremy Birmingham, RJ Day isn’t exactly eyeing Ohio State anyway. 

“I am confident RJ does not want to play at Ohio State,” he said last year. “He wants to build his own path. He has two years left of high school and has made himself into a pretty good quarterback over the last couple of years.”

In other words, he’s trying to separate himself from being called “Ryan Day’s son” every Saturday. Even for Ryan Day, when it comes to his own son, he has always made it about people. Back in late 2025, when asked about the kind of coach he’d want RJ to play for, he mentioned Dabo Swinney’s ACC program because of culture, character, and the way it feels, not just how it performs. And while RJ is out visiting programs finding his own path, his father is in Columbus making a major recruiting pitch.

Ryan Day’s NFL pitch vs. RJ’s independent path

Ryan Day knows the potential that Ohio State’s coaching staff has. If you’re a recruit walking into Columbus right now, you’re stepping into what he calls an NFL-style environment led by names like Arthur Smith and Matt Patricia.

“If I’m a recruit and I come in and I have Arthur on offense and Matt on defense, I know I’m gonna get coached like an NFL team,” he said. 

That’s a direct pitch to every high-level prospect whose ultimate goal is the NFL. And to be fair, the infrastructure backs it up. They have an elite QB in Julian Sayin, a loaded WR room headlined by Jeremiah Smith, and a strong O-line. Now, it’s execution that matters. 

Ryan Day is selling NFL pipelines as a coach but as a father, he’s looking for the right environment for his son. So when RJ stands in Blacksburg smiling next to James Franklin, it’s alignment. Both father and son agree on one thing and it’s that this journey has to belong to RJ even if it means turning down Columbus for something less predictable and way more his own.