The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
NDC’s Conliffe a TD machine
Devanaire Conliffe is at it again, but it’s not like his penchant to score touchdowns ever left.
It’s gotten to the point for the South graduate of simply when, not if.
Sure, there are points in a season when Conliffe can have lulls as a senior wide receiver at Notre Dame College.
For four quarters in the Falcons’ season-opener against Ashland, Conliffe had two catches for 7 yards. Then in the overtime — when his team really needed it — Conliffe responded with a gamewinning touchdown reception on an 11-yard catch in a 42-35 win.
Then came last week at West Liberty. It was vintage Conliffe — three catches, 183 yards, three touchdowns. The fourth catch? It went for just 11 yards. What gives?
“I just trying to get a first down on that one,” said Conliffe with a laugh.
Kidding aside, it’s been a remarkable stretch of receptionto-touchdown productivity for a player with a build suited for linebacker. Conliffe — 6-foot-2, 235 pounds — has 119 receptions in college spanning three seasons at Ohio Dominican and now at NDC as a transfer and 34 touchdowns. That’s a TD rate of one for every 3.5 receptions.
“Dev is driven. He wants to put this program on the map. He comes home for a reason, to help this program take the next step.”
– NDC coach Mickey Mental, on WR Devanaire Conliffe
Just call him the touchdown maker.
It was on full display in the 51-10 win at West Liberty that pushed the Falcons to 3-0 and No. 7 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division II Top 25 poll.
The first time Conliffe got a reception, he took it 84 yards untouched to the house. On catch No. 2, he went 70 yards. The third was from 29 yards.
“The guy’s 235, 240, and on the perimeter he makes it very difficult for those (defensive backs) to wrap him up and get on the ground,” said NDC coach Mickey Mental. “Dev is driven. He wants to put this program on the map. He comes home for a reason, to help this program take the next step.”
Conliffe’s performance was part of a record-setting day for the Falcons. Their 687 yards of total offense was a program-best, and quarterback Chris Brimm’s 449 passing yards was a personal record. His five TD passes tied the school mark. Conliffe’s 84yard TD was the fifth-longest play in school history.
Size has long been an advantage for Conliffe dating back to his time at South, but he said it goes back to his younger days. Opponents should not underestimate his gamebreaking skills though.
Against Charleston in the Mountain East Championship game during NDC’s abbreviated spring season, Conliffe took over the contest with six catches for 177 yards and touchdowns of 72, 62 and 35 yards.
“Whenever the ball is in your hands, you’ve got to make the most of that play,” he said.
Before the season, Conliffe went to work and shed about 10 pounds — “still trying to get these abs together,” he said, pointing to his midsection. He said doing so has made him feel quicker. West Liberty defenders couldn’t catch up to him on Sept. 18 on his three long TDs.
In eight games at NDC (five last spring and three this fall), Conliffe has 26 receptions, 605 yards, a 23.2-yard average, and 10 touchdowns.
That’s an impressive TD rate of one for every 2.6 catches.
“It starts with our (offensive) line,” said Conliffe. “(Brimm) put the ball where it needed to be and I just did a good job of run after catch, making plays. That’s what we do here, play up to our standards, make plays.”