Interviews: Robert Cooper, Tatum Bethune speak after first FSU football practice

Florida State Seminoles football is back at it, kicking off fall camp on Wednesday ahead of a Week 0 matchup against Duquesne.

After practice, redshirt senior linebacker Tatum Bethune, as well as redshirt senior defensive tackle Robert Cooper, met with the media to talk first-day takeaways and other thoughts since the summer.

Linebacker Tatum Bethune

On first day expectations

“It’s everybody being on locked in — first day shows who’s locked in, who’s ready.”

On surgery

I didn’t really go to the media about it, but I had surgery...I’ve been rehabbing during the summer. Towards the end, I felt better, started running, being able to do what I usually do.”

On fellow linebacker DJ Lundy

I grab DJ Lundy one day in the weight room and I told him I look good, like I was proud of him like keep working. And it’s like, I didn’t know DJ for like a long time, but I understand like where he came from and what he looked like before, and now to see him with a full six pack and it’s just like, I’m sorry for my language, but it’s like damn.”

Defensive lineman Robert Cooper

On the difference between year one and year three, spring practice to now:

“I do see a big difference just seeing how fast everyone is moving and that tells you how confident in what they're doing and what they’re expecting from coach (Adam) Fuller to Coach (Alex) Atkins. Everybody knows what to do. The standard has been set and I can just tell people are more confident.”

On breaking the rock:

“That was actually fun just because it was my first time breaking the rock. I held the hammer one time but I never got a chance to break the rock. Just breaking it I was just— I was supposed to give a speech but I was just so — It was amazing to me.”

On the hard work this offseason:

“We all know what we want at the end of the day... I think that’s the biggest thing, we can’t just sit here and talk about it, the thing is to actually do it. That was the main thing, just coming into this offseason, putting it on the field, showing it, that’s the step we need to take.”