Ask any coach if the number of sacks recorded translates to defensive success or wins and he’ll probably say “maybe.”

Most, including the University of Alabama’s Nick Saban, consider it an overrated statistic, but something that they’ll never turn down either.

Consider the top 10 teams in the nation this past season, along with their final records:

Team, Sacks (average), Record 

Utah 55 (4.23) 9-4
Washington 52 (3.71) 8-6
Virginia Tech 48 (3.69) 7-6
Utah State 50 (3.57) 10-4
Stanford 46 (3.54) 8-5
Clemson 45 (3.46) 10-3
Boise State 47 (3.36) 12-2
Michigan State 42 (3.23) 11-2
Louisville 41 (3.15) 9-4
Missouri 44 (3.14) 11-2

The common thread is that every team was good, but none was really in the national-title chase (although Michigan State did finish tied for fifth in the final Associated Press poll).

Among the four playoff teams Ohio State finished tied for 13th in the statistical category, ahead of No. 38 Oregon, No. 61 Alabama and No. 114 Florida State.

In sacks allowed Alabama was 14th, followed by No. 35 Florida State, No 49 Ohio State and No. 63 Oregon.

“Sacks have nothing to do with winning, nothing at all,” Saban said in 2009. “There’s no stat in the NFL that says how many sacks you’re getting contributes to winning. It’s good to affect the quarterback. We affected the guy because he was throwing it so fast, we couldn’t sack him. To me, that’s affecting the quarterback, is it not? You can’t hold it to throw down the field. 
”It’s about affecting the quarterback. You don’t have to sack him to affect him.”

Nevertheless, one of the reasons why Saban brought defensive line coach Bo Davis back was that that he wanted a better pass rush, and apparently got it even though last season’s sack leader A’Shawn Robinson didn’t notch one in 2014.

Alabama sacks (2007-14)
Year, Number
2007 24
2008 26
2009 32
2010 27
2011 30
2012 35
2013 22
2014 32

When Saban was at LSU the Tigers went from just 11 in 2000 (while giving up nine), to 20, 27, 44 during the national championship season, and 37 in 2004.

The most sacks by a Saban-coached team was his last year at Michigan State, 1999, when the Spartans notched 60 to go with 119 tackles for a loss.

Led by senior linebacker Xzavier Dickson with nine, Alabama had 14 players who were in on a sack in 2014. Sophomore defensive end Jonathan Allen was second with 5.5, and sophomore linebacker Ryan Anderson third with 3.0.

The following are the season and career sacks leaders for those playing when Saban was the head coach at Toledo in 1990, Michigan State from 1995-99, LSU from 2000-04, and Alabama after 2007.

Season
Name, School, Year, Sacks
Julian Peterson, Michigan State, 1999, 15 

Robaire Smith, Michigan State, 1997, 12 

Wallace Gilberry, Alabama, 2007, 10 

Julian Peterson, Michigan State, 1998, 10 

Dan Williams, Toledo, 1990, 10 

Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, 2011, 9.5
Xzavier Dickson, Alabama, 2014, 9
Courtney Ledyard, Michigan State, 1995, 9 

Marcus Spears, LSU, 2004, 9 

Dimitrius Underwood, Michigan State, 1997, 8 

Robarie Smith, Michigan State, 1999, 8

Career
Name, School, Year, Sacks
Julian Peterson, Michigan State, 1998-99, 25 

Robaire Smith, Michigan State, 1997-99, 22 

Marcus Spears, LSU, 2002-04, 19 

Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, 2008-11, 17.5 

Xzavier Dickson, Alabama 2011-14, 13
Dimitrius Underwood, Michigan State, 1995-97, 13 

Courtney Ledyard, Michigan State, 1995-98, 12 

Marcell Dareus, Alabama, 2008-10, 11 

Melvin Oliver, LSU, 2002-04, 11 

Chad Lavalais, LSU, 2001-04, 10 

Wallace Gilberry, Alabama, 2007, 10
Adrian Hubbard, Alabama, 2011-13, 10
Dan Williams, Toledo, 1990, 10