Education
University of Wisconsin–Madison.
University of Wisconsin–Madison.
He played at the collegiate level at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is best known for his Most Valuable Player performance in the 1963 Rose Bowl, where he broke several Rose Bowl records (some of which still stand). In that game, he orchestrated a legendary fourth quarter comeback attempt against the University of Southern California Trojans in the first #1 ( University of Southern California) versus #2 (Wisconsin) bowl game in college football history. Vander Kelen was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1991.
The college all-stars defeated the Green Bay Packers 20-17, with a 74-yard touchdown completion to his college teammate, Pat Richter, providing the winning touchdown.
Vander Kelen was named the game Most Valuable Player. He was not drafted in the 1963 NFL Draft and drafted in the 21st round of the 1963 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft by the New York Jets. He entered into a contract with the NFL"s Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent.
He was the backup to Fran Tarkenton from 1963 to 1966 and competed for the starting position after Tarkenton was traded to the New York Giants in 1967. Vander Kelen was born on November 6, 1939 in Preble, Wisconsin, which has since been annexed by Green Bay.
He graduated from Preble High School in 1958.
In August 1963, he was named the starter in the Chicago College All-Star Game (a game which pitted college all-stars selected from the graduating class from the previous season against the NFL champion) over a group of quarterbacks which included 1962 Heisman Trophy winner Terry Baker. The 1963 game would prove to be the last time the college all-stars defeated the NFL champion in this series.
