Virginia Tech football: TE Nick Gallo out with an injury

Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry said on Wednesday that senior tight end Nick Gallo was dealing with an injury. The news was not ideal for the Hokies, who are just over one week away from the season opener against Old Dominion.

Gallo, a fifth-year senior, has appeared in 46 games over the past four seasons for the Hokies, with 26 career starts. Gallo was Tech’s second-leading receiver in 2022, with 30 receptions for 256 yards. He has 55 receptions for 469 yards and a touchdown during his time in Blacksburg.

How long will Gallo be out? Pry didn’t elaborate, only saying the Hokies were in the process of determining how long Gallo would be out. It’s a tough blow for a rebuilt offense counting on Gallo as a security blanket for quarterback Grant Wells.

The good news is Virginia Tech does have some talented young players in the room. Sophomore Dae’Quan Wright is a terrific athlete who flashed as a first-year player last season. Wright isn’t the traditional in-line tight end, but he can serve as a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

There is also 6-foot-5, 237-pound redshirt freshman Benji Gosnell. Gosnell has battled a pair of knee injuries from high school to his first season with the Hokies. But he’s healthy now, reminding everyone why he was such a prized prospect coming out of high school. The duo of Wright and Gosnell has a significant upside. Both are unpolished but extremely talented.

Another concern is Gallo is an excellent blocker. That part of his game will be missed. And for a team that has questions on the offensive line, Gallo’s blocking was important to the offense.

We don’t yet know how long Gallo will be out. But for the Hokies to say they don’t know, that doesn’t sound great.

We hope for a speedy recovery for Gallo and that some of the young players take this opportunity and run with it.