I mean, sure. But you could extend that logic out to where Stanford and Duke and Northwestern are the next superpowers. And yet...
I agree the new financial order levels the playing field, and may advantage certain programs with bigger alumni bases (and excellent business schools like Indiana). But I find it hard to believe that Alabama simply cannot compete for top talent. Yes Alabama's a relatively poor state but I'm sure there are plenty of bankers and commercial real estate guys in Birmingham who are quite able to pay the bill to retain good defensive linemen. Football is also so core to their identity as a school. You think all those northern kids paying full-freight tuition for "the SEC experience" will be so excited to keep coming when the football team is going 6-6?
If LSU can light money ablaze to fire/hire coaches, and Kentucky can throw $3 million at Kenny Minchey, Bama should be able to keep players it wants to keep. The fact that they aren't, to me, signals a lack of confidence in the coaching staff more than anything.