In the days leading up to the 2015 Rose Bowl, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Florida State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 1 in Pasadena. Today, we’ll look at each team’s defensive lines, with thoughts on Florida State from Perry Kostidikas of the Florida State View. 
Oregon 
At one point during Don Pellum’s introductory press conference as the new defensive coordinator at Oregon, the longtime assistant at UO broke it into simple terms. In order to address the issues that persisted against opposing rushing attacks – Oregon’s run defense allowed an average of 238.3 yards on the ground in its last three games of 2013 – the defense had to become bigger and stronger.
13 games through his first season in charge of the unit and it appears those interior defensive struggles may be solved. Evident in Oregon’s last contest against Arizona in the Pac-12 Championship, when an overbearing defensive line allowed just 111 yards rushing and sacked the quarterback four times in a 51-13 win. Deforest Buckner has led the unit with 69 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and four sacks. Arik Armstead has added 33 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.
Elsewhere, Sam Kamp (19 tackles) and Juco transfer Tui Talia (17 tackles) have added depth to a unit that defensive line coach Ron Aiken continues to praise. In addition, Henry Mondeaux has given even more options at the position.
Kamp is full proof of what Pellum stated back in January. Over the offseason he gained 30 pounds and has proven to be an invaluable part of the line. And it goes without saying how imposing both Buckner and Armstead are. The defensive line averages 296-pounds and has likely played a large factor in the continued progression its seen since a year ago.
Florida State
While the Florida State’s defensive line isn’t as menacing as its been in recent years, the group is expected to be the healthiest its been since September on Jan 1. After undergoing three injuries to linemen in the second week of the season, the Seminoles have a mostly intact group heading into its game against Oregon.
Mario Edwards Jr., a 6-foot-3, 294-pound junior defensive end, highlights the group. He’s tallied 44 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks this season. However, he’s most known for his performance in last year’s BCS National Championship game against Auburn. In that game, Edwards made impacts throughout and caused Auburn’s quarterback Nick Marshall into a number of untimely situations.
“Though his sack totals aren’t as high as some would assume for a potential early round draft pick, accounting for Edwards is a big part of any offense’s game plan that faces FSU,” Kostidakis said. “He’s athletic enough to drop back to the linebacker spot or play on the inside or out, and, basically, just a huge freak of nature.”
Junior defensive tackle Eddie Goldman totaled 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks to complement Edwards’ production. In addition, his 6-foot-4, 320-pound frame could cause plenty of problems for the Ducks’ offensive line. Depth seems to be the more pertinent issue though for Florida State, as it comes into the game with problems persisting with reserve linemen. 
Advantage – Florida State 
Edwards alone could put the Ducks in a number of situations that don’t bode well for the Ducks’ up-tempo offense. He  has a tape of last year’s BCS National Championship game to prove how much he can effect an offense’s flow. Although certain issues mounted during the season, plenty of them have been combated due to the fact the unit is healthy.
12/24: Offensive lines
12/25 : Tight ends 
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