Tamarcus Cooley: "I Got A Lot Of Work To Do"

NC State defensive back Tamarcus Cooley recently met with the media to discuss fall camp, his potential role, transferring to NC State, and much more.

NOTE: Click on the video above to watch the interview.

Before we focus on moving this summer, to make sure you were ready for that day one.

Man coverage. I got better at man coverage. 
 

How does it feel to get out there running around knowing this is gonna lead up to the game? This, you're running, you're grinding to the start, right?

It feels good, I mean, we got a couple more days until we play, so I just feel like I'm preparing for the game, first game, day by day.
 

If you don’t mind me, sir, who’s on your shirt there? 

That's my little brother that passed away. In the spring, I wasn't wearing this, and I feel like since I've been wearing this shirt, I feel like he's been with me every place, so.
 

That's Winston-Salem State?

Winston-Salem State?
 

Is that the Ram?

No, this is Rollesville High School.
 

Roseville High School, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

No, no, it's okay. Yeah.
 

You come back home to NC State, I mean, how important is it to just to be where you're at right now?

It's very important. I get to have my little sister, my brother, my mom at my game, so it's paying off for them, and a lot for me.
 

How good can this defense be this year?

It'll be real good, it'll be real good, it's real good.
 

Is it an expectation, or do you feel like it's something you have to grind, or is it a combination, an expectation and work? 

Me personally? 
 

Yes, sir.

I feel like I gotta grind, I got a lot of work to do. Like I said, I had a bad spring, so I got a lot of work to do.
 

Why'd you say spring was bad?

Being new, so I was still trying to learn the system and learn the plays, and now I'm more confident in the plays, and I can pursue it and get around. 
 

So the schemes and such now, that's kind of a normal now, it's not where you're not really-

I'm not even thinking of it, I'm just doing it. Right.
 

So what went into getting comfortable, coming out of the spring down a little bit?

I'm not really sure, I work with Corey a lot. Corey Cooley. Corey's coaching during the break, so Corey, he's older, he's a senior, and I was with him at Maryland, so he helped me a lot. He boosted my confidence, he told me what I needed to do.
 

What were you guys doing together each day?

We worked out every day, we watched film, learned the plays, everything.
 

What's your favorite part of the system?

As in the defense? 
 

Of the defense, just playing in Tony Gibson’s defense. 

Well, I like man coverage. Like I said, I just got better at man coverage, so I like man coverage a lot in this.
 

What do you think you learned being away from home for a year? That you may not have known about yourself?

I definitely matured. I went to college early, I graduated from high school early, so I got way more mature.
 

Any other changes that you've seen just in your life or things around you?

Not yet, I'm still going through it, so.
 

Do you feel like you still represent Roseville?

Of course. It kind of helped me get where I am today.
 

I think y'all got really far. You got to the finals before the state, right?

I was at Knightdale, so I had to transfer there.
 

Ah, okay. I noticed also, it looked like you have a block S.

Yeah, yeah, I um. It ain’t done yet, cuz my tattoos hurt. 
 

Right.

I got NC State, cuz I'm here now.
 

Right.

Knightdale, which is my old school. Maryland is gonna be right there, and Roseville right here.
 

You gonna have room for the NFL one day?

Yeah, I'm gonna do the stomach.
 

Okay, fair enough, fair enough. Fair enough, fair enough, yeah, okay, you got you, okay. Yeah, you put like a paycheck under there? 

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
 

Does this have motivation to not have to transfer ever again? Cuz it might run out of room on your arm? 

Nah.
 

I know one more, I was gonna ask you, what does it mean to wear that NC State jersey?

It means a lot, I'm from North Carolina, so just being able to wear NC State means a lot.
 

And then the run out for the first game, what's that gonna be like, do you think? 

I don't know, I don't know.
 

I mean, you think it's gonna be some-

I might be scared, I might be nervous. 
 

Yeah, yeah, cuz you cross that bridge when you get there.

A lot of people in there.