Mark Richt.

Assuming your definition is, as you said: "programs where winning the national title is the goal. In the modern era, when salaries are multi-million dollar deals and stakes are high." And, therefore, not winning a national championship is a "failure".

But even Richt and Cooper were eventually let go. I'm honestly not sure if, barring a few more below .500 seasons, Kelly ever will be. He could be here 10 more years and bounce around anywhere between 8-5 and 11-2 in each of them and I'm honestly not sure he'd be fired.

The funny thing is, I'm sure there were many in the media who thought it was a huge risk to fire each given they'd had decent levels of success. Not the fanbases (and probably wealthy donors), though. Both were tired of being good but not great under Richt and Cooper, respectively and started to ramp up the pressure to make a change. Both fanbases were rewarded with new coaches that did something the predecessor never did (Smart made a national championship game, which Richt never did, and Tressel won a national championship, which Cooper never did).

But too many in the ND fanbase/PTB are too content with the current situation to ramp up the pressure.

Replies:

BK is untouchable - Freight Train 2021-01-03 23:08:35
- Vacated wins - ND44 2021-01-04 00:11:02
Good call, forgot about him * - MrE 2021-01-03 22:55:18
- And his 1st 12 seasons were much better than Kelly - TCIrish03 2021-01-03 23:12:07