VT has not created the culture of giving that's typically required to compete with the country's best programs. Clemson, for example, has instilled the belief in its alumni that their contributions are necessary for and will result in championships. Clemson's "I Give Ten a Year" campaign began in 1934 showing that they've been developing and growing this culture for a long time.

VT's history is so different. VT won a lot of games in the Beamer era despite having lesser monetary resources then many of its opponents. While many fans did contribute in the form of donations, many people were able to root for a winning team without feeling the need to donate. In lots of peoples minds, winning and donating did not directly correlate.

As spending has increased substantially in college football, it has become even tougher to win without being on an even financial playing field. Not that winning can't be done, but VT's culture of giving is so far off from a school like Clemson. The battle to avoid mediocrity, and eventually coming to accept it, is a tough one. I'm all for fighting against mediocrity, and the best way imo to avoid it is to no longer be financially "mediocre" either.