Roman Gagliano’s phone rang late last Monday night.
On the other end of the line waited his offensive coordinator, Bodie Reeder, prepared to give him the news. MTSU’s starting quarterback, its veteran presence, its second all-time passing leader and three-time team captain Nick Vattiato was injured and set to be sidelined for the first time in over two years.
In more ways than one, Gagliano answered the call.
The redshirt freshman made his first collegiate start for Middle Tennessee on Saturday night against Western Kentucky University, and though the Blue Raiders fell 42-26 against the Hilltoppers, their new quarterback left quite a first impression.
Despite the loss, the Opelika, Alabama, native’s on-field play paired with his upbeat attitude proved to be a “force multiplier” for an MTSU team amidst a seven-game losing streak, head coach Derek Mason said.
“I just thought the young man competed,” Mason said of his young QB. “He played his tail off. Right now, I’ll take Roman in any fight I’m stepping into because the dude was ready … and he was great energy. Dudes sort of vibed off what he was doing, and that’s important.”
Never one to hide his body language, Gagliano’s energy helped revive a stagnant Middle Tennessee offensive attack against WKU. MTSU’s offense produced its highest yardage total of the season as Gagliano completed 25-of-42 passes for 389 yards and added 82 yards with his legs.
The passing yardage is the most by a Blue Raider quarterback in his first start since 2021, when redshirt junior Chase Cunningham tossed for 379 yards in a 42-39 loss against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Although Saturday afternoon’s spot start took Gagliano a bit by surprise, all nerves went away when strutting out onto the Houchens-Smith Stadium field, he said.
“It’s just football,” Gagliano said. “I’ve been doing it since the eighth grade. Every football field is 53 1/3 [yards wide], that’s how I think of it.”
Nervous or not, MTSU’s young quarterback showed poise in his first full game as he threw for two touchdowns with zero turnovers. He was accurate enough with his arm, completing 60% of his passes, but his greatest asset for Middle Tennessee’s offense was his threat to run.
Gagliano carried the ball 14 times against the Hilltoppers and averaged 5.9 yards per rush, highlighted by an athletic 64-yard scamper midway through the second quarter. He and Vattiato’s differing skillsets provided a challenge for WKU’s 11th-ranked Conference USA rushing defense.
“I don’t know if people thought Roman could run or not run, so what you saw today is that he’s pretty adept,” Mason said. “I wouldn’t say that he’s a pure dual threat, but he can run enough to put you in conflict. … He made them play 11-man football, and when they didn’t, they had to pay.”
Gagliano may be a much different type of quarterback than Vattiato, but he’s learned a lot from his predecessor since arriving on campus a year and a half ago. As the team’s unquestioned starter in Mason’s first year at MTSU, Vattiato took Gagliano under his wing, and the pair built a strong relationship: both as teammates and as friends. Middle Tennessee’s two QBs even started their own podcast earlier this year, promptly titled “Nick & Roman’s Empire.”
While Gagliano was obviously “pumped” to get more playing time, he was concerned about his friend’s health first, he said. In the WKU postgame press conference, Mason said Vattiato is week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, and with two games remaining in his final year of eligibility, Vattiato may have taken his last snap as a Blue Raider.
Regardless of whether the redshirt senior returns to the starting lineup or if the Middle Tennessee empire has officially changed rulers, Gagliano is grateful for Vattiato’s continued mentorship and friendship.
“I owe it all to that guy,” Gagliano said. “I tell him that every time I get to. I appreciate him and what he does. Every time coming off the field, he was there for me, we looked at the pictures [film] he’d tell me what he’s seeing. He has a lot of ball under his belt, so anything I can take from him, I definitely do. That’s my guy, I love him, love him to death.”
To many, MTSU’s tumultuous football season seems never-ending, but with only two games to go and perhaps a glimpse into the future at QB, there may be light at the end of the tunnel for the Blue Raiders after all.
“Roman’s a leader,” linebacker and team captain Parker Hughes said. “Nick’s one of our guys, he’s played a lot of football here at Middle Tennessee, and we just tried to rally around Roman and give him confidence. We all believe in him, and he had a great game tonight. He put his stamp down, and I’m proud of him for it.”
MTSU (1-9, 0-6 CUSA) returns to Floyd Stadium to take on Sam Houston State University (2-8, 1-5 CUSA) on Saturday, Nov. 22, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. CDT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with radio play-by-play available on WGNS Radio.
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