Nitrogen is one of the most limiting nutrients for plant growth and is required in large amounts due to its role as a building block for essential molecules such as nucleic acids, chlorophyll, and proteins. As such, nitrogen application in the form of synthetic fertilizers is required to significantly increase crop yield and sustain a growing world population. We recently described the buzz root hairless mutant in Brachypodium distachyon. RNAseq analysis found an upregulation of nitrate transporters, NRT1.1A, NRT1.1B, and CIPK23 in the buzz mutant. In addition, RNAscope revealed partial colocalization of BUZZ mRNA and NRT1.1A in root hair tips. BUZZ also appears to mediate both primary and lateral root growth in a nitrate-dependent manner. Since evidence showing a direct link between root hairs and nitrogen acquisition is lacking in grasses, identifying additional components involved in nitrate acquisition as well as root hair growth can assist in efforts to improve NUE in cereal crops. We evaluated primary nitrate-responsive genes in the buzz mutant and found upregulation of NRT1.1, NRT2.1, TGA4, and NR1 in low nitrate conditions. We further determined nitrate uptake and nitrate use efficiency in buzz versus wild-type plants with normal root hairs. We also report the identification of five proteins that interact with BUZZ and functionally characterize them. Taken together, these data provide the foundational evidence of a heretofore unidentified genetic network that underlies nitrate responses in grasses and that also challenges the importance of root hairs in the uptake of this essential nutrient.