SPRINGFIELD -- After pushing through more than 100 offensive, defensive and special teams plays here Saturday, Missouri State head football coach Dave Steckel said he saw some promising things at Plaster Stadium in his team's first intrasquad scrimmage of the new season.
 
Both sides of the ball showed marked improvement, and both units came up with big plays at key opportunities. Steckel said the biggest take away from Saturday were the intangibles.
 
"The energy, the tempo and everybody flying around was awesome," said the Bears' fifth-year head coach. "I like the way both sides competed and how much they battled on every play."
 
The spirited morning session included a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Huslig to fellow senior Tyler Currie on the only aerial score of the day. Currie, who earned a spot on the Missouri Valley Football Conference's preseason offensive team led a crop of 13 different receivers who caught passes on Saturday.
 
Steckel pointed out that Huslig, who enters his third season as MSU's starting signal caller, has continued his development in the offseason.
 
"His fundamentals are getting better, which is great," said Stec. "He threw the ball away when he needed to, which shows maturity, and he looked really comfortable. He continues to get better each day, which is what we want."
 
Huslig, McNeece Egbim and Titus Wall were named as the team's captains earlier in the week.
 
Donovan Daniels capped a 19-yard "green zone" scoring drive late in the session with a one-yard TD carry. His score followed an 18-yard pass from Huslig to Lorenzo Thomas who got the first-team offense within an eyelash of the goal line and ultimately set up Daniels' run.
 
Daniels, Alan Worsham and newcomer Jadan Abdallah each accounted for big rushing plays on the offensive side, while the defense did not allow a run of more than 11 yards on the morning.
 
The maroon-clad defense also had a big take-away on the final play of the day with newcomer Jalen Williams tipping a pass and then retrieving it before scampering 35 yards for a touchdown.
 
With just two-and-a-half weeks before the season gets underway, the Bears will spend Saturday afternoon breaking down the scrimmage video and refining a balanced attack that appears to be bursting with talent on both sides.
 
The club will also conduct an open scrimmage next Saturday, Aug. 17, at 8:30 a.m. at Plaster Stadium before its Aug. 29 opener at Northern Arizona. Single-game tickets for all five home games go on sale Monday at MissouriStateBears.com and via the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678.