There was a while during the 2014 season that the numbers posted by senior quarterback Blake Sims were exceeding those by his predecessor, and it wasn’t close.

He ended up setting University of Alabama single-season records for passing yards and total offense, but Sims faltered somewhat down the stretch, with three interceptions against Auburn (which he compensated for by leading five straight touchdown drives) and then three more against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

That too reminded Crimson Tide fans of AJ McCarron’s final game when he had two passes picked off by Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, tying his career high.

Nevertheless, despite Sims’ records, McCarron’s 2012 season still has to be considered the best in Crimson Tide history.

Here are the hard numbers:

McCarron
2011 (13 games): 219 of 328 (66.8), 2,623, 16 TDs, 5 Int., 147.3 rating
2012 (14 games): 211 of 314 (67.2), 2,933, 30 TDs, 3 Int., 175.3 rating
2013 (13 games): 226 of 336 (67.3), 3,063, 28 TDs, 7 Int., 167.2 rating

Sims
2014 (14 games): 252 of 391 (64.5), 3,487 yards, 28 TDs, 10 Int., 157.9 rating.

There are two other important statistics to take into account.

1) Sims finished his career with 705 rushing yards while McCarron had minus-50.

2) While his running back helped Sims be so effective on third downs, Alabama’s struggles on third down in the national semifinal brought his passing numbers down and comparable to what McCarron posted in 2012.

Sims’ third-down passing numbers from this past season were 64-93-2 (68.8 percent), 4 TD, 803 yards. The 2012 numbers were 56-90-2 (62.2 percent), 8 TDS, 724 yards.

Overall, Alabama converted 102 of 198 third-down chances, 52 percent. In 2012 the Crimson Tide was 80 of 167, 48 percent.

What made McCarron’s 2012 season so impressive was his touchdown-to-interception ratio, which wasn’t just the best in Crimson Tide history it would have shattered the single-season mark if Alabama included it in the record book.

McCarron had 30 touchdown passes compared to just three interceptions, a 10-to-1 ratio, and interception percentage of 0.96 per attempt while capturing his second national championship as a starter.

Sims, meanwhile had a 2.8-to-1 ratio, and 2.6 percentage while winning a Southeastern Conference title.

Here’s how each Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback has fared since Saban’s arrival in 2007:

Quarterbacks, TD/Int, ratio
2014 Blake Sims 28/10; 2.8 to 1
2013 AJ McCarron 28/7; 4 to 1
2012 AJ McCarron 31/3; 10.3 to 1
2011 AJ McCarron 16/5; 3.2 to 1
2010 Greg McElroy 20/5; 4 to 1
2009 Greg McElroy 17/4; 4.25 to 1
2008 John Parker Wilson 10/8; 1.25 to 1
2007 John Parker Wilson 18/12; 1.5 to 1

Sims’s ratio matches what Jay Barker did during his final season of 1994, when he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting — although he had half the numbers, 14 touchdown passes and five interceptions.

Here’s how that compares to some other Alabama quarterbacks since 1940:

1945 Harry Gilmer 13/3; 4.3 to 1
1961 Pat Trammell 8/2; 4 to 1
2005 Brodie Croyle 14/4; 3.5 to 1
1965 Steve Sloan 10/3; 3.3 to 1
2001 Tyler Watts 10/3, 3.3 to 1
1975 Richard Todd 7/3; 2.3 to 1
1997 Freddie Kitchens 11/4; 2.75 to 1
1985 Mike Shula 16/8; 2.0 to 1
1973 Gary Rutledge 8/4; 2.0 to 1
1966 Kenny Stabler 9/5; 1.8 to 1
1962 Joe Namath 13/8; 1.6 to 1
1953 Bart Starr 8/6; 1.3 to 1

Alabama passed more this past season under offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin but its 10 interceptions were the second most since Saban arrived in 2007, when the Crimson Tide had 12 (in 13 games), resulting in 267 return yards. Opponents had 124 return yards in 2014.