The sun wasn’t the only bright thing in Omaha today.

During their third and final practice of training camp, the Nighthawks looked better than ever on a beautiful Sunday morning at the Kroc Center.

“I don’t know if it was just the nice weather, or what,” said head coach Bart Andrus. “But they looked great today. It was a marked improvement from what we’ve seen over the last couple of days.”

The team’s performance today helped ease the coaches’ minds as they head into their first week of game preparation.

“I think they are finally starting to connect what they have learned in the classroom to what they are doing on the field,” Andrus said.

The team’s progress was especially evident during 11-on-11 drills, when quarterbacks GJ Kinne, Chris Dieker and Jason Boltus made a series of quick, accurate passes to their teammates, including wide receivers Cameron Kenney and Aaron Pflugrad.

Training camp might have been short, but Andrus is pleased with what his team has accomplished so far.

“We hope this momentum will continue to build and carry us through that first game,” he said.

The Nighthawks open the 2012 season on the road Friday, Sept. 28, in Sacramento.