Tatum Bethune didn't want his first spring at Florida State to come to an end early.

Not after the UCF linebacker transfer had been one of the standouts of the Seminoles' spring camp.

And yet, he was forced to watch FSU's spring game from the sidelines with a boot on his left leg.

A few weeks after that in late April, he underwent surgery on a groin injury that he had been playing through since the 2021 season.

Observations from FSU's first practice: Four takeaways from Florida State's first football practice of preseason camp

Who is FSU football coach Mike Norvell?: Home turf: Inside the family dynamics that make Mike Norvell a football force on the field

FSU football wide receiver unit story: Florida State football enters preseason camp still searching for No. 1 option at receiver

Rehabbing his way back from an injury wasn't how Bethune envisioned his summer going. However, the decision and the hard work started to pay off for Bethune when he was able to make it back in time for the Seminoles' first preseason camp practice on Wednesday afternoon.

"Towards the end (of rehab), I started running and being able to do what I usually do..." Bethune - a former prep standout at Miami Central - said after the first preseason practice.

"I was still around my brothers, they kept me going. DeLo (Kalen DeLoach), he's got my back every time. Sometimes I had some hard days, sometimes I felt good. It was good to be around the team. They kept me going."

Bethune admitted he may not be entirely pain-free during the first preseason practice. However, he felt no limitations as to what he was able to do on the field at the Al Dunlap Athletic Training Complex.

"I'm full speed. I did everything," Bethune said.

"I feel good, I'm able to go. That's all that matters right now."

It's been a number of years since there was real confidence about FSU's linebacker unit entering a season. This year's linebacker group still has to prove it in a game setting, but with Bethune, who had 108 tackles last year at UCF, and DeLoach, that projects as an impressive starting duo.

Add in the depth behind it and there's as much cause for optimism about FSU's linebacker unit as there has been in years entering the 2022 preseason.

Bethune credits at least part of this with how seriously the linebackers on the roster worked together during the offseason.

"Me and DeLo, we meet with each other day. On the weekend, we meet with each other. Honestly, it's not just me and DeLo. It's the whole linebacker group. We go out and eat on our own. We're really like brothers..." Bethune said.

"It's always good to learn from other people. I didn't come here thinking I was better than anybody. I came here wanting to learn. That's exactly what we've done. They've learned from me, I've learned from there. I feel like during the season if we keep doing the same thing we're doing now, we should be a good, dominant group."

Lundy shedding the pounds

Another linebacker who made strides in a different area this offseason was DJ Lundy.

Lundy was listed at 255 pounds during the 2021 season. It was clear from his struggles in coverage that it wasn't a proper weight for him to be at, and that became a focus of his offseason.

He was down to 239 for FSU's spring camp and dropped seven more pounds to 232, where he is now listed ahead of the 2022 season.

"We're talking a lot about guys that have gained weight, (Lundy) is somebody that just wait until you see him tomorrow," Norvell said during his press conference Tuesday.

"The definition in his body build, the conditioning level, the things that we have really challenged him to take ownership in, he did. I really like the positive strides we've seen from him."

In the spring, the weight loss made a notable difference for Lundy, who was moving far easier and was noticeably better at handling coverage responsibilities.

Bethune couldn't help but be impressed with Lundy's commitment to the grind this offseason.

"I grabbed DJ Lundy one day in the weight room and I told him, 'Bro, you look good.' I was proud of him. He's working," Bethune said.

"I haven't known DJ Lundy for a long time, but I understand where he came from and what he looked like before. Now seeing him with a full six-pack, it's like, 'Damn, you worked your ass off.'"

Reach Curt Weiler at cweiler@tallahassee.com or follow him on Twitter @CurtMWeiler.

No one covers the ‘Noles like the Tallahassee Democrat. Subscribe using the link at the top of the page and never miss a moment.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tatum Bethune seeing unity, growth in FSU linebacker room