The starter plays but does not tackle to the ground.
Once the veteran is benched, expect the action to begin in earnest as Day said the second and third units will be at full capacity.
The Buckeyes are scheduled to conclude spring practice at noon Saturday at Ohio Stadium, but here are six areas to keep an eye on.
1. Edge against tackle
This has developed into one of the key battles in every football game, and Ohio State has an interesting matchup overall.
Typically, spring games lean in favor of defense due to lack of tackle depth, but seeing second- and third-team ends go after it is a long-term challenge due to pass rush depth. This is an area to watch this spring that might be a good thing for Ohio State fans.
Ends Mitchell Melton, Kenyatta Jackson, and Kayden Curry will be good competition for the likes of Tegra Shabola, Zen Michalski, and George Fitzpatrick.
2. CJ Hicks and Sonny Styles vs. Everyone
Head coach Ryan Day is vying for Will to start at linebacker, with Hicks and Stiles potentially sharing the field if the Buckeyes employ a 4-3 defense. He said he has been disrupting the offense this spring, and fans have been looking forward to hearing the news. .
These athletic linebackers could bring a new level of play to Jim Knowles' defense, so fans should look forward to seeing them in person.
3. Receiver to secondary
This is usually one of the best areas to watch during the spring games. Because teams don't run the ball as much, perimeter players can handle the ball more like a real game than most other positions.
This year, true freshman Jeremiah Smith will lead a talented but unproven group of receivers and a young group of cornerbacks, including Springfield native Aaron Scott Jr., who will appear in uniform for the first time at Ohio Stadium. The intrigue is heightened by the possibility that he could be his opponent.
4. Quarterback against defense
Day also credited Knowles with making things tough on the offense overall as he matched wits with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly in practice.
The game plan for the spring game may be fairly docile, but it's up to the quarterback to decipher what Knowles' team is trying to do on each snap.
Of course, quarterback is the key position this spring, and the one fans will be watching most of the afternoon.
Will Howard, a transfer from Kansas State, and five-star freshmen Julian Sain and Air Noland all made their Ohio Stadium debuts, and Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz were much better than they were in the Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri. I'm trying to prove that I can do it.
5. Young running back
Don't expect much, if any, action from Treveyon Henderson or Mississippi State transfer Quinshon Judkins, but freshmen running backs James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon will have a chance to prove themselves Saturday. It should be.
TC Caffey, an incompetent recruit from Hubbard, Ohio, has also received praise from his head coach this spring and could be a part of the rotation this fall.
6. Last line of defense
Quarterbacks, cornerbacks, linebackers and linebackers have dominated most of the headlines this spring, with safeties to some extent being under the radar.
There's no doubt that fans would love to see Caleb Downs in an Ohio State uniform, but the All-American transfer from Alabama may be in the group that doesn't play as much.
Depth is a question mark at the position, especially with Lakota West native Malik Hartford dealing with an injury.
With quarterbacks under intense scrutiny, there may be an opportunity for safeties to gain attention.
Saturday's game
Ohio State Spring Game, Noon, Fox
