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LADUE — MICDS senior two-way lineman Miles Coleman doesn’t dream about pancake blocks.

Or recovering a game-changing fumble.

The 6-foot-2, 308-pounder fantasizes about what it would be like to score a touchdown.

It is on every lineman’s wish list, and Coleman continually requests a chance to run with the football.

Just once. Hopefully in a short-yardage situation near the goal line.

Coleman has asked Rams head coach Matt Irvin more than once about the possibility of getting into the end zone.

“I always remind him, ‘Just give me a chance, Coach,’ “ said Coleman, whose Rams (0-1) play at 6 p.m. Friday at De Smet (0-1). “Let me see if I can get it done. Not sure it’s ever going to happen, but I can keep wanting it.�

Coleman has some influential friends on his side.

Namely MICDS junior quarterback Nolan Menneke, one of his best friends.

“We’ve talked about it,� Menneke said. “I’ve taken it to (Irvin) a couple times.�

Irvin answered with a definite maybe.

“He said possibly some time if we have a running clock,� Menneke said.

Coleman has done just about everything possible on a football field except experience the joy of carrying the football into the end zone.

The hulking difference-maker is heading to play at West Point, choosing Army over a couple other NCAA Division I programs.

Coleman possesses the ability to take control of a contest with his powerful presence in the trenches. A four-year starter on the offensive line, he moved from tackle to center at the outset of his sophomore year and has been a fixture ever since.

He is just as adept on the defensive line, although his college future appears to be on the offensive side. Coleman had three total tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery last week in the Rams’ season-opening loss to Lift for Life.

The Rams are 31-8 with Coleman as a starter and have averaged 36.9 points per game over the three seasons, with a good majority of that damage coming on the ground.

MICDS reached the Class 5 state semifinals last season before losing at Platte County 44-30. Coleman played a huge role in that success as a road grater for a powerful rushing attack.

“He’s a big guy, he’s a leader’s leader,� Irvin said. “That’s why he’s going to West Point. He fits the bill.�

On the field, Coleman has a high motor with a relentless never-quit attitude.

Off of it, he can be quiet and reserved.

Menneke and Coleman spend plenty of time hanging out away from the field. Recently, Menneke took Coleman to his family cabin in New York state off Lake Erie for a week or so of relaxation prior to the season.

“You wouldn’t expect him to be one, but he’s a pretty outdoorsy guy,� Menneke said.

The two first met when Coleman was in eighth grade. Menneke approached Coleman to tell him that they might be football teammates down the road.

“The thing I remember the most is just how big he was even though he was just in the eighth grade,� Menneke recalled. “I had to look up to him, he was so much taller than me. It was a little intimidating.�

The pair quickly became friends.

“From then, the bond just started,� Coleman said.

Now, Menneke makes sure to take care of his good buddy.

“He’s my center so we’ve got to be on the same page all of the time,� Menneke said. “That’s probably why we’re good friends.�

Coleman is just as strong in the classroom as he is on the field. He is also an accomplished chess player.

When it came to choosing a college, Coleman was not necessarily searching for a military school until he visited West Point.

Then, it was love at first sight.

“I was looking for something that fit me perfectly,� Coleman said. “It such a beautiful campus, everything was just top tier. I started to understand what their goal was as a program. It just fit me to a T. I never really hesitated.�

Now, Coleman is hoping to help the Rams reach the state championship game for the first time since 2020.

He said he still feels the sting of last year’s semifinal loss.

“That kind of fueled my offseason, made me hungry,� Coleman said. “It’s something I still think about and we’re all determined not to come up short again.�