Kickers are weird.

They tend to be a little quirky and stay by themselves during games. In comparison to the behemoths they line up against, kickers are puny.

But they decide games.

And if Penn State's game at Michigan tomorrow were reduced to a field-goal kicking contest, the Nittany Lions would have to like their chances.

So far this season, the Wolverines' woeful kicking game nearly cost the team a loss to Washington when placekicker Philip Brabbs missed three field goals before nailing a 44-yard game winner.

While the winning kick earned Brabbs Big Ten special teams player of the week honors, he has spent the better part of the season in Michigan coach Lloyd Carr's doghouse thanks to his 3-for-9 performance on the season. His 33 percent success rate on field goals ranks lowest in the conference.

Michigan's struggles in the kicking game are a sharp contrast to Penn State. On kickoffs, the Lions have an advantage with placekicker David Kimball routinely booting the ball out the back of the end zone, giving opponents poor starting position.

Entering the season, placekicker Robbie Gould was thought to be effective but not among the best. However, his 8-9 showing this season, including his 51-yard boot against Wisconsin last week, have shown he name can be mentioned with the conference's elite.

"I just go out there with the confidence that if it's a 30-yard kick, I'm going to make it, if it's a 50-yard kick, I'm going to make it," Gould said. "That's what you have to do as a kicker, you have to have that mindset."

Carr is pretty sure he has someone with that mindset on his roster in punter Adam Finley. According to Carr, Finley was originally supposed to do double-duty as both punter and placekicker, but a knee injury prevented him from attempting field goals. Instead, Brabbs, a junior who entered the season with only one game of experience, took over and so far, has given a performance that could be termed erratic at best. However, Carr believes that Michigan's bye week gave Brabbs enough practice time to build his confidence should the game be on the line.

Nevertheless, he is still impressed by what he will see across the sideline tomorrow.

"If he impressed you, he impressed me," Carr said. "He is a tremendous force."

A force capable of deciding games -- even if the practitioners are a little weird.