Gaining weight in college is a fact of life for many freshmen. But if the number exceeded 30 pounds, most people wouldn't be happy. How about accomplishing this in less than a month?

That's what junior Joel Edwards has faced for the Penn State wrestling team. Wrestling at 197 pounds until two weekends ago, he was bumped up to heavyweight after senior captain Josh Walker suffered a herniated disk.

This is just the last development in a series of injury-related adjustments. Freshman Phil Davis and Edwards were splitting time at 197-pounds when Davis injured his ankle, giving the junior a chance to take back his full-time duties.

Just as Davis returned, Walker went down.

"With Walker out, there was a huge gap in our lineup," Edwards said. "With Phil and I sharing time, we both need to be in the lineup. As a coaching staff and as a team, we think that this is the best move for us right now."

This put him in a tough spot, however. In the middle of the season, Edwards has to increase his weight from less than 200 pounds to his new, optimal size of 230 pounds.

"By Big Tens I want to be 230," he said. "At 230, coaches told me, Kevin McCoy won last year. I feel at that weight I can still be explosive and still be in contention for an All-American."

He's halfway there. This past weekend, he weighed in at just less than 215 pounds.

"There are plusses and minuses," Edwards said. "It's tough not being the size of the other guys as of yet. It's a different weight class. I'm not trying to take shots as much because I'm trying not to get underneath guys because they're so much heavier than I am."

Even though he is still undersized, Edwards has shown that he can grind out matches and hang with tough opponents.

"I feel that I can ride or turn any heavyweight in the country," Edwards said. "It's just staying out of trouble those first couple of minutes. I feel like I can win every match 1-0, 2-1, or 3-2. That's my mindset as of now."

Gaining the weight he needs isn't easy, especially in midseason.

"Just like losing weight, gaining weight is hard," Edwards said. "Gaining the right weight is crucial -- not just gaining fat -- but gaining muscle."

"Sometimes I'm eating so much that my stomach hurts so bad that I feel like I'm going to puke," he added.

Sophomore C.J. Wonsettler has taken over duties against the heavier wrestlers, so when Walker returns, Penn State coach Troy Sunderland will have to decide which of the three will take the mat and get each significant time.

"The thing is we have to be able to wrestle those guys and when Josh comes back, he's going to have to be able to go in the Big Ten," Sunderland said.

The plan is to have them decide it on the mat.

"I would've liked to have had a wrestle-off with C.J. and Joel a little earlier, but C.J.'s been kind of under the weather," Sunderland said. "We'll find out who our best wrestler is at heavyweight."