CFB is not the NFL in that winning is the only metric that counts. Style points, SOS, SOR, etc. don't matter at all in the NFL. You can win by 1 or a billion...just win.
CFB is 100% a beauty contest. Yes, winning is important, as it should be, but "how" you win (and to a lesser extent, lose) absolutely matters.
If Mario's recruiting prowess isn't what it is, his mindset would be ideal for the NFL. As a college fb coach, he better understand that winning in a dominant manner that includes style points, explosiveness, etc is the only way to be taken seriously, not only as a coach, but as a program.