Max Klare, with some help from Jeremiah Smith, is settling in at Ohio State

The transfer tight end had a season-high 63 receiving yards against Minnesota.

Tight end Max Klare had a season-high 63 receiving yards in Ohio State’s win against Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Ohio State athletics)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State isn’t Purdue.

It was at some point during his first winter workouts with the Buckeyes, after transferring from a down-on-its-luck Boilermakers program, that Max Klare realized he wasn’t in West Lafayette, Indiana anymore. He told a teammate, Jeremiah Smith, that his time in Columbus had already been a bit more arduous than he expected.

“When he first got here, he didn’t really have it in him,” Smith said.

Fast forward a few months, and Klare feels like he’s starting to settle in. He’s coming off a season-high 63 receiving yards in Ohio State’s win against Minnesota last week. His blocking output is the best it’s been in his career. Things are starting to come together.

Finally, Klare said he feels like a Buckeye. More importantly, his coaches and teammates are seeing it, too.

“Max is getting better and better,” head coach Ryan Day said. “I think there was a little bit of an adjustment based on he we practiced in the preseason, and I think you’re really starting to see him take off now.”