Vanden Bosch twins set to follow in father’s NFL footsteps
PHOENIX (BVM) – The last name of Vanden Bosch should be a familiar one for football fans in the Phoenix area. Kyle Vanden Bosch was a 12-year NFL veteran who started his career with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted by and playing four years for the team from 2001-04. Today, the Vanden Bosch name is still a prominent one on Arizona gridirons, though not because of Kyle but rather because of his two sons Bastian and Case.
The brothers are both freshmen at Brophy College Preparatory where they just wrapped up their freshman football season with a 7-2 record. Bastian is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive end and tight end while Case is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound quarterback.
“It’s been great,” said Kyle, who coaches the Brophy freshman team’s defensive line. “I’ve coached them for several years now. Just seeing their growth and maturity, seeing them develop into and evolve into leaders on their teams has been fantastic…I’m most proud of the young men they are and the leaders that they are.”
“Seeing [my dad’s] work ethic and everything that he’s done on the field definitely motivates me,” Bastian said. “I want to be just like him but also make my own path.”
“Football has always been in my family so it was great to [play],” Case said. “My dad is a great role model for me and he already paved that path so I can just follow that and make my own path along the way too.”
Given the brothers’ football lineage and success in their first high school campaign, it comes as no surprise that the two have received attention from recruiters. On Oct. 19, both brothers received offers from the University of Nebraska. This is the first offer for Case and the third for Bastian who has also earned offers from Arizona and Oregon.
Congrats to Bash and Case Vandenbosh on their offers from @HuskerFBNation !!!!!
— Brophy Football (@FootballBrophy) October 20, 2022
While the Nebraska offers are not the first for the family, they hold an important role in the pair’s recruiting process. Their father Kyle once roamed the gridiron for the Nebraska Cornhuskers notching 142 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a program-record three blocked kicks in 46 career games with 22 starts over four years. The defensive lineman was also named second-team All-Big 12 in each of his last two seasons.
“It meant a lot coming from where my dad went and also my brother getting one,” Bastian said. “[We’re] the next generation so it was pretty cool.”
“That offer meant a lot, my dad went there and so we grew up always supporting Nebraska so it’s great to be able to receive an offer from where my dad went to and keep it in the family,” Case said. “When I first heard the news, the first thing I did was look at my dad and saw how happy he was, so it was a great thing to get an offer from that school.”
Now, this doesn’t mean Nebraska is a shoo-in to land the duo, but having an alumni as a father certainly doesn’t hurt the Cornhuskers‘ case. Given the fact that their dad went on to have a 12-year NFL career with the Cardinals, Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans earning three Pro Bowl selections in the process, it does look good for the school’s ability to develop quality NFL players.
“I wouldn’t change a thing from my career,” Kyle said. “I had a great experience at Nebraska, had a lot of success and still have a lot of pride in the school. But again I want them to forge their own trail and if they decide Nebraska is the best fit for them, a good opportunity for them to help a team win games, to be a part of a good program, I will be especially excited. But if they decide on another school and they think another school is a better fit I will be all for it.”
However, the Vanden Bosch twins will have a lot of time to make their final college decisions. As members of the Class of 2026, they still have a ways to go and have yet to even take varsity snaps.
“I just try to work hard,” Bastian said. “[The offer] hasn’t changed anything. I just want to keep working.”
“[The offer] makes me just know that a lot of people are watching,” Case said. “So I need to stay focused, stay working on my craft and stay humble.”
“The biggest thing is to take it in stride,” Kyle said. “To a point, it’s good that it’s starting early so it’s not overwhelming. They have the opportunity to take their time, focus on their high school and not get wrapped up in which school will be the best, which opportunity is going to be the best. That’s all going to shake out a couple years down the road. To get it started and not have this pressure to perform their senior year in order to get noticed by colleges I think is good for them.”
But, with their Pro Bowl genetics, strong freshmen team and solid performances, it may not be long before Bastian and Case become some of the more sought-after recruits in the state of Arizona.
“I just want to play on varsity next year, keep working, keep getting more offers and just keep going,” Bastian said.
“I just want to keep getting better every season, keep working hard and build deeper connections with my teammates,” Case said. “I want to lead these teams, my team, to more victories and build off of this successful season.”
