are paid primarily to do just that, coach and win. There are other aspects to being a coach but these are the primary reasons they are hired and fired. It's that simple. No need to make it more complex than that.
If academics were a primary driver of coaches, then you would not see schools firing guys left and right in 3 seasons or less for not winning even though GSRs were acceptable or high (I have not looked into this). But, have never heard of a coach being maintained because of their outstanding team academic accolades over their football performance.
For example, when Willingham was fired ND said something to the effect of what he did Monday to Friday was exemplary but what he did on Saturdays was not enough. Schools hire and fire football coaches to win football games. Alabama takes it a step further and uses its program as a pipeline for those players who put football as their primary life aspiration and desire to go to the NFL.