Outcomes have both proximal and distal causes. If you're pushed out of a tall building, the proximal cause is blunt force trauma. What caused you to die was hitting the ground while moving at high speed -- causing blunt force trauma.

However, a distal cause (something further back in the chain of events) was being pushed out the window.

Both things are true. The cause of death was blunt force trauma and being pushed out fo a window.

Similarly, who VT could afford to hire as head coach, the size and quality of the assistant coaching staff, the size and quality of the quality and recruitment staffs, and the quality of the facilities (locker rooms, player's lounge, weight room, practice facilities, dining hall, etc.) are all factors that will (collectively) determine the quality of VT's recruitment and development of players and their execution and performance, and the team's W-L record.

Every one of those causes is, at least in part, is tied to money and finances for the program. If fans don't give money, we have a smaller football budget than our competitors. If we had a massive budget, we would have top notch facilities and could afford to fire an underperforming coach and pay big bucks to get a better one.

You really seem hung up on this "blame" thing. But if you don't think donations to the football program matter in program success, you really don't know how these things work. Money is the distal cause. It seems like maybe you're taking it personally -- like you feel insulted by the suggestion that money matters in program success and much of that money comes from donors.

I hope this helps explain my POV.