I think Texas has been successful for many decades simply because they got the best players from the state. That's no more...right now, Texas may be the 4th choice among recruits, after Aggies, Baylor, and even TT ( Kingsbury relates well to the kids...Brown doesn't. Rice had a great year, and SMU is getting some mojo back..
Texas programs have always had to compete with the poaching land grabbers north of the Red River for Texas recruits.