Fourteen quarters.
Virginia Tech senior Nick Gallo has started at tight end for three seasons. Yet it took him just three and a half football games this fall to set a career high in catches.
“I think Gallo is an all-around tight end,” explained Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen. “He doesn’t have to come off the field for a phase. I look at three phases: run blocking, pass protection and route running. He has put himself in a position to do all three of those things at a high level.”
Gallo’s 19 grabs and 138 yards were both second on the Hokies at press time. The Council Rock South grad caught seven balls, the third most in the ACC that week, in Virginia Tech’s opener against Old Dominion. Gallo followed it two weeks later with a career-high 52 receiving yards in the Hokies’ 27-7 win over Wofford.
A nationwide audience watched Gallo grab four balls in an ESPN-broadcast loss to West Virginia the night of Sept. 22.
Gallo’s former CR South coach Vince Bedesem points out that the speed of the game is the biggest change between high school and college. “Not only speed physically but also speed mentally and knowledge wise. That is probably Nick’s specialty. He eats, sleeps and breathes football on the mental side of it,” Bedesem stated.
Last November, Tech fired then-head coach Justin Fuente and replaced him with Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry. Ironically Bowen, who Pry tapped for his staff, once coached Gallo’s brother and recruited Nick out of CR South.
“Nick is really committed to Virginia Tech and what this place is all about so there was no sell of him sticking around,” Bowen said. “It was continuing to strengthen that relationship between a player and a coach and making sure I’m doing everything I can do to help him be successful.”
“I was really excited to play for Coach Pry. He is a passionate guy. He is a great communicator and he takes care of his players,” Gallo added.
“Coach Bowen is also the tight ends coach. That’s definitely a positive bonus,” Gallo continued. “I think in this offense, they split (tight ends) out a bit more and have us a little more involved in the pass concepts.”
Listed at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Gallo caught 14 balls in his junior year. He scored his first touchdown against No. 25 Liberty in a sophomore shootout, but his favorite game was the six-overtime Hokie thriller against North Carolina in his freshman season. “It was one of the first games where I played a lot on offense and we ended up winning that game,” Gallo shared. “That was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had at Tech.”
Gallo received college offers on both offense and defense. He keyed a stingy Golden Hawks “D” that held eight of their opponents to 17 or fewer points during his senior season.
“I loved playing defense in high school but I thought offense was a better fit for me. I liked the idea of the scheme of offense and putting together plays,” Gallo said.
Bedesem modified his offense to fit Gallo’s talents. “His senior year, when we were throwing, we were able to isolate Nick and put him out on the edge,” Bedesem explained. “Being the big target that he is, and he is fast for his size especially in high school, he was able to create separation.
“He was a focal point in being able to run behind him too,” Bedesem continued. “When we were devising runs, I’m sure we were a little predictable in where we were going with the football because Nick was there.”
Bedesem literally got to see Gallo grow up. The youngest of four, Gallo’s older brothers, P.J. and Eric, played tight end and center at Maryland and Virginia Tech respectively.
“You can see the dynamic with (parents) Pat and Patty and how they are very family oriented and team oriented. They are hard workers. I guess when you get to son No. 3, you expect a lot of this,” Bedesem shared. Nick “does a great job on the field and off the field. And he is a heck of a student in following the footsteps of his brothers and sister.”
“I’m the youngest of four and it’s really a blessing for me to sit back and observe each one of them and how they live their lives,” Gallo added. “They were truly role models when I was growing up.” Attending P.J.’s games opened Gallo’s eyes to the thrills of college football. Seeing how Virginia Tech treated Eric helped to attract Nick as well.
Now retired from head coaching, Bedesem is better able to watch a full complement of Gallo. “What he has continued to do is work his butt off to become,” Bedesem noted, “the player that he is.”
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