I think you are totally right w/r/t top level programs vs. the field. It used to be (probably still is to a large extent) a huge recruiting advantage to be a blue blood, but now that HS recruiting has dropped precipitously in importance, the prestige factor is concomitantly less advantageous. Players want to get paid, played and drafted - no one GAF about 'being forever' anymore.
From a coaches standpoint - since they also increasingly just want to get paid - top level programs carry the added burden of out of proportion legacy expectations. Who the fuck wants to deal with that? ESPECIALLY at UK, where even when being a top-3 all-time program mattered 10-15 years ago, they still had totally out of whack expectations.
Few, Oats, Drew, Hurley, etc. have virtual tenure, and would have to shit the bed beyond reason to lose their perpetual $5mm gigs. Roll the dice on 'returning UK to glory'? LMFAO. Their deranged fan base should consider themselves super lucky to have had the opportunity to massively overpay Mark Pope.