Last Monday, as senior co-captain Adam Smith walked into the wrestling room located in the catacombs of Rec Hall, he heard the words "Adam Smith, national champion."

The 125-pounder smiled, peering out from a black eye and bruised left cheek where stitches resided just a few weeks ago. What you couldn't see were the marks on his back, the remnants from surgery he had last offseason.

If the words "national champion" ever follow his name, such scars would be worth it. But right now that can't be on his mind. It would only be a distraction.

This week, the Penn State wrestling team began its toughest workouts of the season in hopes of peaking at Big Tens in Iowa City, on Saturday and Sunday. It would set the tone of the practices until then.

Before he gets the opportunity to show he's the best in his class, Smith will have to deal with freshman Bryan Heller, who outweighs him and outranks him. Smith has fallen out of the rankings, whereas Heller is ranked No. 18 at 133 pounds. Giving up size in practice is nothing new to Smith, who has been mismatched in practice since he got to Penn State four years ago.

"Being the last guy in the room, either the other 125-pounder is hurt or we don't have any at all," Smith said. "I wrestled with Josh Moore last year, Heller this year and Moore the year before that. It's tough for 20-minute gos. It kind of takes a bit out of you."

Forced to train with bigger guys, he had to be in good shape.

"In my mind, I'm one of the best-conditioned guys in my weight in the country," Smith said. "I think it's one of my strengths."

"Up until the injury to his back, he was right on track with the dominant people," Penn State coach Troy Sunderland said. "He controls the controlled. He's worked hard to get into great shape. He's meticulous with his diet."

But it's not just a matter of going against guys bigger than him. Smith is constantly trying to stay in a higher gear than the competition. Not only does it help him, but it serves as an example for his younger teammates on the mat and with what he says.

"That's something you try to do day-in and day-out," Smith said. "The days that you're hurting or the days that you feel sick are the days you need to go harder. ... A lot of the younger guys see that and makes them work harder.. -- lead by example."

"Even since he was a freshman, he's a natural leader," senior co-captain Josh Walker said. "He's real outspoken. He leads with words and that's what you need on the team."

As the coaches are quick to remind their fatigued athletes as the end of practice nears, it's "about the hardware."

"He's a hard worker and a great young man," Sunderland said. "He's just a great representative of our program."

So far, the hardware as eluded Smith. The three-year starter and two-time NCAA Championships qualifier has one last run at it. A top-seven finish will give him his final championship shot.

He'll have to make a run from outside the top 20, but thus far this season he's been unfazed by pressure. He opened up the Lions' biggest home meet of the year -- against then-No. 10 Iowa -- with a pin. Then last Friday against Ohio State, he looked forward to the prospect of being the one to have the decisive match, as the meet closed with his bout.

"Right after Galloway wrestled, I looked up at the score and said, 'It's going to come down to me,' " Smith said. "I kind of look forward to it coming down to me. It doesn't happen too often, but it's a great opportunity. ... It would've been pretty sweet coming down to me, especially with it being my last match."

The next week of practice will determine if he can capitalize off his conditioning level and his love of pressure situations. Then maybe he will be "Adam Smith, national champion."

"We know we're going to get his best effort and hopefully that'll be good enough for him to upset some people that he's lost to this year and get him into the All-American rounds and a national title," Sunderland said.

His teammate for four years agreed.

"One thing is, you can't count him out," Walker said. "No matter who he's lost to, he thinks he still stands a shot."