<p>Football is the big budget drainer here, which is why top coaches like Pete Carroll, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban can command multi million dollar contracts. If done properly Football can support the entire athletic department. If done poorly it can suck the department dry. At USC, until Pete Carroll was hired the Athletic department regularly lost money. Football started winning and now it’s in the black thus allowing for other sports like Water Polo, Tennis and Golf to thrive. Also, the general fund gets a cut of all donations to the school.</p>