When someone asks Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban about the lack of sacks, it's sort of like watching a grenade roll across the floor.
The statistic irritates Saban because it draws attention like the Las Vegas strip. He believes disrupting the quarterback in any way is just as important as devouring a quarterback.
Saban once said: "You don't have to sack him to affect him."
That's not to say he doesn't appreciate one of his defensive players ripping off the dragon's head. Saban credited LSU after a 24-21 loss for its three sacks.
"They made some big plays in sack situations," Saban said. "All that changes field position."
Anyone who watched Alabama's 30-10 win over Mississippi State Saturday night would be hard-pressed not to notice the Crimson Tide's similar success, which resulted in a season-high five sacks.
The impact of those plays was indisputable.
Saban said Alabama played mostly zone defense against the Bulldogs, and that was a big part of getting to quarterback Chris Relf.
"I thought the pass rush was really important," Saban said. "I thought it was important because when you get sacks and give them negative plays and get them behind in the down and distance, it takes them out of their game a little bit, and that was critical for us."
Nose guard Josh Chapman said pass rushing has become an emphasis in practice. The Crimson Tide had just 10 sacks in eight games before a bye week. Now it has six sacks in the past two games.
"We've been putting more emphasis in it, and practiced the way we should have been doing from the get-go," Chapman said. "You can also see that teams are not going to want to come in here and run the ball on us all the time."
Chapman said his sack at LSU was a direct result of something he picked up in practice in terms of his personal technique. He said one point of emphasis is "keying off the ball."
"That's one of the things we've been harping on, getting off the ball," Chapman said. "... (You) eye up the ball and try to key off it. Once you get good get off, there shouldn't be an O-lineman that can stop you if you've got a good get off."
Alabama is led by Damion Square with 3 sacks, followed by Marcell Dareus (2½), and Courtney Upshaw, DeQuan Menzie and Mark Barron (2 each).
Dareus and Upshaw have both coped with ankle issues for most of the season, but seem to be regaining their health lately.
The Crimson Tide will get one more chance to work on pass-rushing technique Thursday night against Georgia State, which has allowed 11 sacks this season.
Then comes Heisman Trophy front-runner Cam Newton and BCS No. 2-ranked Auburn for the Iron Bowl on Nov. 26.
"People are gonna want to come in here and try the passing game," Chapman said. "That's one thing, we have to affect the quarterback and take some of the pressure off the DBs."