This is so awesome; I love reading about strategies and playing the game. It seems most of ESPN / talk radio talks about anything but "playing the game"... I love the description Coach Alexander uses for our MIKE. "...... the defensive front has three down lineman and on this example they use a 5-0-4i front. This defense usually puts the front in a 5-0-5 alignment although sometimes the ends can align inside shade on the tackles, using a 4i-0-4i alignment. Behind that are three linebackers, and then three safeties. The two outside cornerbacks are on an island on the outside receivers. Because of the alignment we see here, the linebackers on the outside widen to help against the wide slot formations. The beauty of this design is that the middle safety, called the “joker safety” by coach Cody Alexander, can be brought into the box and gives Iowa State the flexibility to run a 3-4 without making a substitution...."