Urban Meyer's Annual Coaching Clinic To Honor Paul Brown And Include Marvin Lewis

One of the things that the Cincinnati Bengals have tried to do in recent years is boost their community standing. Long-seen as somewhat hermit-like, the front office has done a one-eighty and has reached out to the other professional and collegiate sports entities in the area.

Though Ohio State University and the Bengals have had a decent relationship over the years, it has budded even further with the affable head coaches of the respective organizations in Urban Meyer and Marvin Lewis. Meyer has put on an annual Ohio State football clinic since he took over the position and decided to put a different spin on it this year, as he will be honoring some of the sports biggest names from the great state of Ohio.

"I was on a walk and I started thinking...I think people sometimes forget that Ohio is the birthplace of football -- Canton, Massillon, that's where it started," Meyer said via Zac Jackson of FOX Sports Ohio. "We're going to bring in our two pro football coaches. We're going to honor Larry Kehres, arguably one of the greatest coaches of all time. And we're going to celebrate other great high school coaches and, obviously, we're going to honor Paul Brown and his family for what he did for the great state of Ohio football. Having those two (NFL) coaches come down, I don't know if anyone has ever done that."

"Marvin is a great friend, it's great to have him," Meyer said."It's really my obligation and all of ours to honor Ohio football," Meyer said, again via Jackson at FOX. "If you're coaching in Ohio, come. Celebrate this great state and the great tradition of Ohio football.

"I played high school and college here and now my son (Nate) is getting ready to play high school football in Ohio. That's important. That's a great thing."

One major facet of the clinic will be the honoring of the great Paul Brown on April 10th. It's a nice gesture to a man that helped cement the sport's standing in American pop culture. Lewis will speak on the same day as the Brown ceremony and new Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine will be speaking with Meyer the following morning.

Details on the event can be found at ohiostatebuckeyes.com.