Normally, the choice between the 2002-2003 Arizona football team led by the reviled John Mackovic and the Purdue program of the same era would be a no-brainer.

But then again, Kyle Ingraham is not your normal player.

Tomorrow, the No. 12 Boilermakers invade Arizona Stadium led offensively by Ingraham, a junior wide receiver who as a highly touted recruit narrowed his college choices to Arizona and Purdue.

While the programs seemed worlds apart in terms of talent and anticipated success, the decision came down to more than which school was better than the other.

Ingraham's father, Corky, played linebacker for Arizona in 1977 and 1978, and his mother, Susan, was a star swimmer for the Wildcats, qualifying for the 1980 Olympic trials.

"My parents were alumni and were fantastic athletes at the University of Arizona, and my godfamily are huge benefactors and have put in a lot of money to the athletic program," Ingraham said.

At 6-foot-9 and 228 pounds, Ingraham puts the "big" in big-time receiver. He will highlight the marquee matchups of Purdue's receivers with Arizona's secondary, regarded by some experts to be the best in the Pacific 10 Conference.

"They are fast," said Purdue senior quarterback and first-year starter Brandon Kirsch of the Wildcats' defensive backfield. "I think they are similar to our defense as far as speed. Their safeties like to come and put big hits on people, like (Purdue strong safety) Bernard (Pollard.)"

Arizona's starting secondary averages 6 feet and 194 pounds. The Wildcats' shutdown corner, sophomore Antoine Cason, who will most likely cover Ingraham for much of the game, is 6-foot and 170 pounds.

Ingraham's size will be a major threat in the end zone. He is already 18th on Purdue's career touchdown receiving list with nine, despite not playing much as a true freshman (three games).

With last year's top receiving target, Taylor Stubblefield (16 touchdowns in 2004), now playing for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, Ingraham becomes the Boilermakers' new favorite set of hands.

"Obviously, with Taylor gone, we need someone to step up and make more catches," he said. "As far as the numbers, overall improvement will get you catches no matter what, so if I improve in every category, it would be great.

"And when I've got to block someone that's 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds and they can't even see around me, it's nice. It's definitely enjoyable."

Kyle Ingraham was a high school senior during the 2002-2003 school year. In 2002, Arizona was coming off a 4-8 season, its worst since 1991, and a player mutiny where nearly 40 disgruntled Wildcats met with university president Peter Likins about the then-head coach Mackovic, who left the program soon after.

In 2002, the Boilermakers were coming off a win in the Sun Bowl over Washington. The Boilermakers have made eight bowl games in a row - Arizona hasn't been to one since 1998.

"My decision came down to academics and athletics and all of that put together with how I fit with the team, and I felt like I fit better at Purdue," Ingraham said. "I haven't regretted my decision. The success of the program here helped my decision. I felt like Purdue's program was on the rise and that big things would be happening here."

Last year, Ingraham won the Boilermakers' Most Improved Award, finished eighth in the Big Ten in receptions per game with 4.3 and 10th in receiving yards with 52.0 and had 209 yards receiving against Indiana, the third highest single-game total in school history.

Ingraham is tied with Seth Morris as the tallest Boilermaker football player ever. In high school he ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, according to www.scout.com.

Corky Ingraham was a team captain and earned second-team All-Pacific 10 Conference honors in 1978. In 1977, Corky led the Wildcats in assisted tackles with 81.

Kyle Ingraham, who went to high school in San Antonio, was born in Tucson and went to Arizona games when he was younger. In high school, his godparents hosted a birthday party for him in the Arizona Stadium skyboxes.

Ingraham's said his favorite Arizona memory was when the Wildcats beat No. 10 Miami 29-0 in the 1994 Fiesta Bowl.

"It was a huge rout by Arizona," he said. "It would probably be a huge switch if that game happened today, but I always remember that."

Ingraham's first career start came as a true freshman against Arizona in 2003. In the Boilermakers' 59-7 rout, he had an 8-yard touchdown reception. In Purdue's opener against Akron over the weekend, he hauled in six catches for 78 yards.