The news at last week’s press conference that Nate Irving will not play this season headlined coach Tom O’Brien’s media address, but Irving’s absence was not the only topic of discussion.
After discussing Irving, O’Brien went on to announce the arrival of the newest member of the Pack, Michael Lemon, a former Bulldog defensive lineman who joins the N.C. State program after his dismissal from the UGA football program in July of 2008 for disciplinary reasons.
“Michael Lemon will be joining the team as of tomorrow,” O’Brien said last Thursday night. “We’ve done extensive work with him and we’re very satisfied with the issues that he had when he left Georgia. We’ve had a lot of conversations with [Georgia] coach [Mark] Richt and a lot of people and are very satisfied with the individual we are getting.”
Lemon’s accolades from high school included being ranked the No. 26 defensive end in the nation in the class of 2006 and the 20th best player in the state of Georgia by Rivals.com. He redshirted what would have been his rookie season and then played in seven games in 2007 before his team named him the Most Improved Defensive End at the conclusion of 2008 spring practice season.
Lemon was dismissed from the Georgia football team shortly before the 2008 season due to battery charges stemming from a summer altercation with another student he accused of talking to his girlfriend. The incident came less than two years after his mother’s boyfriend murdered her and burned down the family’s home outside Macon, GA.
According to Scout.com, Georgia coach Mark Richt called the dismissal of Lemon the hardest disciplinary decision of his career and said he wished his former defensive end the best.
“My goal for Michael as he leaves this program is to go somewhere where he can continue his education and play football,” Richt said. “I hope for him that it can be at Georgia (in the future) because that’s what he wants, and I love him very much.”
Following his departure from Georgia, Lemon attended Georgia Military College for a year before signing with N.C. State. He now has nearly a week of practice with his new teammates under his belt and could bolster the defensive line Sept. 3 against South Carolina.
