The Crusaders held their final scrimmage - a two-hour intrasquad affair Thursday night at Tiger Field - in preparation of their Sept. 13 season opener, and they came away pleased but with the knowledge that there is still work to do.

“I think there are some things, mentally, that we need to improve on,” said senior free safety Derrick Williams, a preseason All-American. “And I think those will show up when we watch tonight’s film. But I’m pretty sure come Sept. 13, when they cut those lights on, the Crusaders will be ready.”

UMHB, preseason ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division III, will open at home against NAIA opponent Southern Nazarene (Okla.). The Crusaders used Thursday’s scrimmage to work on specific situations - such as the two-minute drill - and to solidify its varsity roster.

“We were just trying to make them think,” UMHB coach Pete Fredenburg said. “Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn’t, but it kind of stirred the mind a little bit.

“We wanted to look at our first and second teams and some third-teamers. We’ll know who our starters are.”

Fredenburg and his staff still must choose a starting quarterback and ensure the Crusaders are conditioned well enough to face a Crimson Storm team that will have two games under its belt.

“You never really know if you’re ready (for the opener), but I know we’re not,” Fredenburg said. “We have a lot of work to do, especially conditioning.”

And as for the starting quarterback?

“We’ll probably make a decision this weekend,” said Fredenburg, who likely will opt for either senior Josh Saenz or sophomore Kyle Noack.

UMHB hasn’t faced an NAIA opponent since 2001, when it defeated Belhaven College 20-6, but the Crusaders are eager to get the season under way.

“We’ve been preparing like crazy, and tonight we wanted to look more crisp on offense,” junior tailback Quincy Daniels said. “Next week, we just need to go out and execute.”