BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Chris Petersen unveiled a 2010 recruiting class that is his smallest in his five years at Boise State, but one he insists is hardly short on talent, especially at the skill positions on offense.
The Broncos coach signed 10 recruits Wednesday in a class that drew heavily on players from California and Oregon, but also includes two from Idaho and one of the best prep players in Montana.
But on a day most coaches use to extoll their new found talent, Petersen also lamented the loss of one of his most gifted assistants. Justin Wilcox, the Broncos' defensive coordinator the last four seasons, confirmed Wednesday he is taking the same job at Tennessee.
"We're excited for Justin," said Petersen, who with Wilcox leading the defense compiled a 49-4 record and two Fiesta Bowl wins over the last four years. "Justin has done an outstanding job directing our defense and has made the Broncos a better team every season. We wish him nothing but the best in his new position."
Petersen named defensive line coach Pete Kwiatkowski, who graduated from Boise State in 1990, as the team's new defensive coordinator.
Wilcox leaves behind a unit that ranked 14th nationally in total defense last season and is getting five new players.
The defensive class features Tyrone Crawford, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive end from Canada who played the last two seasons at a junior college in California. Crawford, who enrolled at Bakersfield College for academic reasons, was named first-team All-American as a sophomore with 42 tackles and eight sacks.
The other marquee defender is Jeremy Ioane, a safety from Hawaii who waited until Wednesday to declare, picking the Broncos over Washington and Notre Dame. Ioane, who went to the same high school as President Barack Obama, earned all-State honors as an all-purpose player.
"He had great options" for schools, Petersen said. "We're excited. We think he's going to be a heck of a player ... and a very good fit here."
The Broncos also signed a linebacker, a cornerback and defensive end Tyler Horn, from Mountain View High School in Meridian.
The new faces on offense include Matt Miller, the 2009 Montana Gatorade Player of the Year, and from Oregon, Grant Hedrick, the Oregonian's 4A Offensive Player of the Year.
Miller, a 6-3, 207-pound receiver from Helena, helped lead Capital High School to three straight state titles, catching 50 passes last season for 829 yards and 19 TDs. He is also a threat returning kicks and earned all-state accolades for playing cornerback.
Hedrick, like Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore, is the son of a high school coach. Last year at Central High School in Independence, Ore., Hedrick completed 65 percent of his passes. He threw for more than 2,500 yards, had 34 TDs and just one interception. But he rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior.
The Broncos also signed wide receiver Troy Ware of Oceanside High School in Los Angeles, and a pair of tight ends, including Kyle Sosnowski, a 6-2, 210-pounder from Capital High School in Boise.
The small recruiting class is tied to the number of scholarships available, and with the Broncos returning so many starters and veterans from a season ago, it may be difficult for the incoming freshman to get on the field. Boise State is returning 21 of 22 starters from last season's undefeated Fiesta Bowl championship team.
"These are all good football players," Petersen said. "But hopefully we're also right on the intangibles."
