On a team with few stars that has scored only eight offensive touchdowns, anyone has a chance to become a weapon in the MSU football attack.

Enter junior place-kicker Dave Rayner and redshirt freshman punter Brandon Fields.

With their recent success, the kicking tandem has become a unique threat Big Ten teams will have to account for.

"Our kickers are becoming a kind of secret weapon for us, which we have to have," MSU head coach John L. Smith said. "That has to continue."

Rayner and Fields have been impressive in the Spartans' four games. Rayner, ranked the nation's No. 2 kicker, has hit 12-of-16 fields goals, including two from 51 yards out. He was a perfect 3-for-3 against Notre Dame a week ago.

Fields ranks sixth among NCAA punters with a 46.8 yards per punt average and was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season after the Notre Dame win.

But his avenue to the starting lineup wasn't clear after fall camp. Senior punter Jason Daily was slated as the Spartans' No. 1 punter, but an ankle injury forced Daily out and Fields in.

"Last spring, it was back-to-back between me and Daily," Fields said. "Of us, Daily probably had the upper edge. Coming into the fall camp, I thought we were about pretty even. And day-to-day we went back and forth