After a long season, Ohio State has permitted some of the returning players who helped secure the national championship in 2024 to take it easier this spring. This has allowed less experienced new players to receive more practice reps and demonstrate their abilities.
One player new to the program is tight end Max Klare. Although Klare has experience playing in the Big Ten with Purdue for the last two seasons before transferring to the Buckeyes, he still needs to earn a role with the Scarlet and Gray.
Klare is making progress towards that goal. On the Monday after Ohio State’s eighth spring practice, Klare had his black stripe removed, officially welcoming him into the Buckeye Brotherhood.
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Ohio State’s black stripe tradition originates from former head coach Urban Meyer, who introduced it to the Buckeyes from Florida after taking over before the 2012 season. The reasoning behind the tradition is that every player must earn the right to be called a Buckeye. Thus, a black stripe is placed on a player’s helmet upon arrival at school, remaining until he has done enough to officially earn his place on the team in the eyes of the coaching staff. Ryan Day upheld the tradition after succeeding Meyer before the 2019 season.
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As elite as they come! The TE room just added a versatile guy to the Brotherhood, welcome @m4klare ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/J0rG69uNzc
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 31, 2025
“We got a black stripe alert,” Scarlet and Gray director of player development C.J. Barnett announced to the team after Monday’s practice. “Aye man, this guy’s been a great addition to the team. He can block and he can route you up. The newest member of the tight end unit, Max Klare.”
Coming out of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Klare was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He was ranked as the No. 48 tight end and the No. 26 player from his home state, according to the 247Sports rankings.
Klare spent three seasons at Purdue, redshirting in 2022 before catching 22 passes for 196 yards in 2023. Last season, Klare broke out with 51 receptions — the third most in the Big Ten — for 685 yards and four touchdowns. His receiving stats were all tops for the Boilermakers, earning Klare third-team All-Big Ten honors. Klare entered the transfer portal on Dec. 6 and, after receiving interest from programs across the country, committed to Ohio State on Dec. 23, aiming to become a more complete tight end.
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“Appreciate y’all boys,” Klare said to the team in the video. “Shout out to the tight end room, coach Hinton, coach Kee, coach Wendy, all the tight ends. Appreciate all y’all. Go Bucks!”
Klare is the second Buckeye to lose his black stripe this spring. Second-year cornerback Miles Lockhart had his black stripe removed following Saturday’s scrimmage.
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