Who is Theo Lemon? For Tomcat faithful, the historic season of 1980 brings back fond memories of the undefeated season, nine consecutive blow-out games, and the combination of a high powered offense and a stingy defense.  To reminisce with the old picture of the ’80 team might also conjure up some questions.  As you look at the coaches in the back row we see some well-known names in Trimble football lore, Dave Hartley, Ed Bolin, Dave Prichard, Jeff Conroy, and the person next to Conroy is Theo Lemon.  Lemon is a name that should be well known in the story of Trimble being a cradle of coaches, for he in coaching terms, had an extremely interesting career.
	Lemon (from Massillon) was a student assistant who joined the 1980 staff after completing his playing career as a defensive back for Ohio University.  Coach Lemon then began his first venture into full-time college coaching at Kentucky State University.  In the fall of 1984 Lemon was named head coach at KSU.  After a one-year stint, he returned to the assistant coaching ranks serving at Central State in Wilberforce, serving for six years that included a NAIA national championship, and the opportunity to coach future NFL All-Pro Erik Williams.  The 1990 and 91 seasons Coach Lemon spent at defensive coordinator at Northeastern University.  He then proceeded to serve as an assistant at such well-known institutions as Eastern Carolina, Rutgers, and Wake Forest.  In 2000 he was assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator for the Demon Deacons.  He left Wake Forest in 2001 to become the head coach at the College of Dupage, after three years he moved into the head coaching position at Central State where he stayed until he was offered the colossal task of rebuilding Savannah State University’s football program.
	At SSU, Lemon inherited a program that was facing NCAA sanctions, which included a reduction of practices allowed, and Savannah allowed him only 24 scholarships (NCAA allows 63).  After a gradual improvement from the 2006 season in 2007, Lemon was unexpectedly removed from his position to the shock of his players.  The official response for his firing was lack of wins. (Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither could Savannah State football)  At last report Lemon had moved back to his permanent home in Dayton with his wife and two sons.
Every article that I found about Lemon takes time to describe the incredible moral fiber of this man.  From being described as a “strict disciplinarian, unafraid of suspending or removing his best players” to being the individual who founded the Federation of Christian Athletes at Savannah State, it becomes clear that he is a person of incredible character.  So to Coach Lemon from all of us in Tomcat Country, we wish you the best and hope for a quick return to the sidelines for the benefit of the game of football and the players for whom he will interact.
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