"The Incredible Bulk" last season at 373 pounds, Joseph is now an impressive 6-foot-6, 300-pound hulk.

In shedding 73 pounds since February, the rising sophomore defensive tackle says he already feels more fit than he did last season, when he made Conference USA's all-freshman team.

As long as rehab from offseason back surgery continues to go well, the "smaller" Joseph is expected to play a bigger role on a defensive line some analysts rate as tops in the league.

His commitment is evident in the way he altered his eating habits and tackled a workout program that included three calorie-sapping, stamina-building 30-minute StairMaster sessions six days a week.

"He climbed Mount Everest,'' said Rock Roggeman, Joseph's position coach. "It takes a lot of discipline to lose five pounds, much less 70. What he's done is fantastic."

Joseph, who once charged a training table with the same ferocity he pursues opposing quarterbacks, says his weight loss has been all natural, devoid of any diet supplements.

A former state weight-lifting champion and prep football standout in Alachua, Fla., Joseph didn't consult Jenny Craig about dieting. He started drinking water instead of sodas; dining on lean meat, vegetables and fruit; and snacking on nuts instead of Snickers.

Not that it wasn't a challenge. Candy was harder to shed than an offensive lineman's block.

The son of a chef, Joseph, who was born in the Virgin Islands, arrived on ECU's campus with an insatiable appetite and a penchant for "sampling" food. When spotting the all-you-can-eat Pirates training table, he said "it was like heaven to me."

"I ate everything -- bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns, corned beef, pancakes, French toast sticks, waffles,'' Joseph said, and that was just for breakfast.

He also drank about three gallons of juice per day and "two or three" double chocolate mocha drinks, and he devoured a few candy bars in addition to lunch and dinner. Sometimes, he'd wake up during the night and chow down again.

His favorite food was ... well, almost anything. Eventually, Joseph -- who started the season weighing 345 -- was up to 373 and starting to get fed up, so to speak. His body was screaming at him.

"It was putting pressure on my back," he said. "It was hard to tie my shoes. It was hard to breathe. I [was] getting disgusted. I was unhealthy. I said 'I can't take it any more.' "

So Joseph began sacrificing instead of sampling. He subbed granola bars for Snickers, yogurt and fruit for pancakes. Combining his diet with exercise, he was on the way to winning his personal battle of the bulge.

"I feel 100 percent better,'' said Joseph, described as humble and unassuming by Roggeman. "I can breathe easier, tie my shoes, get in and out of a car without struggling, take off my shirt and feel comfortable about myself ... and it's easier to get dates."

Bring on Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Virginia.

The three Virginias are Pirates opponents, but Joseph -- who harbors a "no pain, no gain" attitude -- is more equipped to meet formidable foes.

As a rookie in 2007, he was plenty tough, making 40 tackles and 8.5 hits behind the line. And Phil Steele Magazine has him on the All-Conference USA preseason team.

Joseph, planning to major in construction management, believes he can build a stronger resume this year through adding endurance and quickness and by playing more snaps.

"I hope to double my stats, make more plays behind the line of scrimmage," he said. "I feel great."

The Pirates need that from Joseph, and a lot more from everybody else, to boost a defense that gave up 431.2 yards and 30.4 points per game last season.

"He is a heck of a player, a catalyst up front, has a great attitude," Roggeman said. "Give me two more [like him]. He played very well as a true freshman, and [losing weight] will increase his athleticism, quickness and explosion."

All of which can still make the 300-pounder a weighty problem for opponents.