I think generally kids now "flirt" to get interest from schools they have no real interest in. That includes UT but isn't limited to the Vols.
This is why I've consistently said it is unwise to constantly engage in bidding wars. For all we know, the staff may have known that some of the recruits they didn't get were just trying to play UT to bid up their offer from someone else. That may have been why they didn't bid them up like many here thought they should.
Like any other "market", this is going to work itself out over the next few years if left alone. Value estimates will become more accurate and enough programs will be burned by overrated players that they stop bidding guys up before they prove themselves. The big NILs paid to HS recruits will probably begin to moderate while the deals for quality portal players go up.