Mick Marotti is the Bugatti of toughening players up. He does it fast and with 1,800 horsepower.
When tight end Max Klare arrived from Purdue this offseason in need of acclimation to the heights of the Ohio State football program, the strength and conditioning coach found a quick and effective solution: Pair him with the only player ever to be named an Iron Buckeye three times in the first two years of his career. And he also happens to be the biggest star on the team.
Jeremiah Smith became the sports car driver Marotti attached to Klare’s hip in winter and summer workouts.
“When he first got here, just working out with him in the offseason, he didn't really have it in him, I should say,” Smith said on Wednesday. “But now he does. Coach Mick put me with him, so I had to take care of him. But Max has definitely taken that step on and off the field. And I'm very proud of him, of the things he's doing in this offense this year.”
Transitioning from Boilermaker to Buckeye and the shift in expectations that accompanied it has been a long process for Klare, but fresh off his most productive game in scarlet and gray, he’s found his lane and started attacking the season full-throttle.
“I think I've improved a lot,” Klare said. “Coach Key (Bailey), Coach Hinton, Coach Wendy (Laurent), working on my blocking every day, working on my route running. Just being able to learn from guys like Will (Kacmarek) and Bennett (Christian). It's been great help to me, and just wanna keep continuing to build on that for sure.”
It’s clear from Klare’s comments this offseason and Smith’s comments recently that going from West Lafayette to Columbus required some work. Klare was a star at Purdue, far and away leading the Boilermakers in receptions (51), receiving yards (685) and receiving touchdowns (four). But a physical edge needed to be added.
“I don't wanna say he wasn't a dog, but – (laughs),” Smith said. “Coach Mick put him with me, so that means he trusts me to get him right and make him a dog, so that's what happens.”
That went hand-in-hand with one of Klare’s major on-field goals for the 2025 season, which was improving as a blocker. Bailey has earned a reputation for building a tough room that prioritizes blocking in his three seasons as tight ends coach at Ohio State, and Klare has shown clear growth in that area through five games.
Watch Klare execute a clinical kick-out block on Washington linebacker Jacob Manu to spring running back CJ Donaldson for a 10-yard gain. He’s No. 86, top of the screen.
“I think just hand placement, running off the ball, velocity into it, stuff like that,” Klare said of how he’s improved as a run blocker.
Improving as a blocker has allowed Klare to stay on the field more, too. His three highest snap counts of the season came in Ohio State’s last three games. He led the tight end room in snaps for the first time against Minnesota on Saturday. With that, his receiving production has climbed, with five receptions for 63 yards against the Golden Gophers, both season-highs.
Klare’s biggest catch vs. P.J. Fleck’s boat rowers was a 29-yard grab that quarterback Julian Sayin put on a rope despite getting hit as he threw. Klare made a nice adjustment to the ball in-flight to shield off a Minnesota defensive back.
“Max is getting better and better,” Ryan Day said. “I think there was a little bit of an adjustment based on how he practiced in the preseason. And I think you're really seeing him start to really take off now. We see that happen a lot when we have newcomers coming to the program. But his attitude's been great, and you're seeing the talent come forward now. And he's building some chemistry with Julian and the offensive line, the tight end room in general. So good to see him making plays, because he certainly has the ability to.”
This throw is just ridiculous, to stand in the pocket and make that throw... it's beyond impressive.
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) October 5, 2025
This is Julian Sayin's FIFTH start in college, he is playing at a Heisman level.
He's also shown tonight his deep ball is one of the best in America and he's only getting better pic.twitter.com/Dz0oGwLLKu
A direct sign of where Klare has grown more comfortable as a receiver in the offense came on a fantastic sideline catch against Washington. He dropped a similar throw on a 4th-and-1 in Week 1 against Texas, his very first target as a Buckeye. He now has 11 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown on the year.
“That just builds trust,” Klare said. “You gotta make your play. And obviously, dropping that one early was tough, but being able to come back and make that play is huge.”
Julian Sayin with a STRIKE to Max Klare! @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/PJLHZ9if3d
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) September 27, 2025
Having wide receivers around him the caliber of Smith and Carnell Tate has been a boost too, distracting defenders and giving him elite examples to model his game after.
“It's awesome,” Klare said. “I mean, having guys like that around you only helps, and it's fun to go out there and play with those guys. They're making plays left and right, and it's fun to see the ball go up, and it's a touchdown, so it's a lot of fun.”
Klare added that he’s felt more space when running his routes now that he’s not the focal point of the passing attack, as he was at Purdue. There’s no doubling the tight end for defenses with Smith and Tate out wide.
Klare might not have had that dog in him when he arrived at Ohio State, but he’s been sculpted into one by the program around him. Just ask Smith now.
“Yeah, for sure,” Smith said.
