Bucs, fans try to stay cool during training camp

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The heat was on during day one of Buccaneers training camp.

"We want to be the thermostat, and not the thermometer," said quarterback Jameis Winston.

The high temperatures are no match for the bar that the Bucs have set for themselves this upcoming season.

"We want to set a high mentality, high tempo, get the juices flowing and get some excitement out here," added Winston.

Six weeks ago, head coach Dirk Koetter said he wanted training camp to be a continuation of mini-camp. That's exactly what he got on day one. 

"Yeah, I was real impressed with the guys' carryover on both sides of the ball," said Koetter. "We had really good mental carryover, [we're] way ahead of where we were when we started OTAs, but yeah, we've got a long way to go."

"First day is always an exciting day," said Winston. "So we're excited but we know that we got a long way to go, we know that we have to continue to get better, but I'm looking forward to getting better with this group of guys."

A year ago at this time, the Bucs had a rookie quarterback and rookie lineman in the trenches. Koetter was a fresh face on the staff. Now, with a season under their belt, the Bucs feel they already have a head start moving into the new year.

"Mike Glennon [has] been a quarterback in the leage for five, six years and he said this is the first year that he had the same offense coming back," said Winston. "So, that's a big stride for us. That's a big advantage for us, for our team. So we just have to get better, deal, and like I said, we will never be where we want to be, but we're going to try our best."

And where they want to be is in the win column, week in and week out.