Game time
Clock stoppage if penalty is on the winning team or teams are tied.
NO Jewelry
Time outs
Scoring
PENALTIES
Flag Guarding- 10 Yard- Spot of Foul- Loss of Down
Illegal Advancement- 5 Yards- Spot of Foul- Loss of Down
Illegal Forward Pass- 5 Yards - Previous Spot- Loss of Down
Intentional Grounding- 5 Yards- Spot of Foul- Loss of Down
Offensive Pass Interference- 15 Yards- Previous Spot- Loss of Down
Defensive Pass Interference- 15 Yards- Previous Spot- Automatic 1st Down
Personal Foul- 15 Yards- End of the play or previous spot
Unsportsmanlike Conduct- 15 Yards- End of the play or previous spot
Roughing: Passer/Center- 15 yards - End of the play or previous spot Automatic 1st Down
Delay of Game- 5 Yards- Dead ball - Previous spot Replay down
False Start- 5 Yards Dead ball - Previous spot Replay down
Offsides- 5 Yards- Previous spot Replay down
Encroachment- 5 Yards- Dead ball - Previous spot Replay down
Illegal Motion- 5 Yards- Previous spot Replay down live ball penalty
Stripping- 5 Yards- Spot of the foul- Automatic 1st down
Illegal Contact- 5 Yards Previous spot or spot of the foul
Early Flag Pull- 5 Yards- Previous spot- Automatic 1st Down
Illegal Blocking- 10 Yards- Spot foul or from previous spot if behind LOS Replay down
Holding- 10 Yards- Spot foul or from previous spot if behind LOS
Charging- 10 Yards- Spot of the foul- Replay down
Illegal Touching- 5 Yard- Previous spot- Loss of down
RULE 1. OVERVIEW
SECTION 1. THE FIELD
Article 1. Standard dimensions of the field are 120 yards long by 53 yards wide with 10 yard
endzones. Approved field sizes may fluctuate from 100-120 yards long when necessary, or 50-53
yards wide. Endzones should not be shorter than 9 yards.
Article 2. Zone lines-to-gain markers are located at the 20-, 40-, 40-, and 20-yard lines on a 100-yard field.
Article 3. If an 80-yard field is used, line-to-gain markers are located on the 20-, 40-, and 20-yard
lines.
Article 4. Offensive teams have four downs to successfully advance to the next zone-line-to-gain
and earn a new set of downs.
SECTION 2 GAME
Article 1. Game Time is FORFEIT TIME
Article 2. Minimum 7 players to start a game. May only have up to 8 players on the field at any one
time.
Article 3. A coin toss determines 1st possession. The team can elect to have offense, defense,
defer or direction. Choice in the 2nd half will be awarded to the team that did not have the choice
1st half.
Article 5. All players are eligible receivers.
Article 6. Mercy Rule: No Mercy Rule during pool play games. If a team is up by 28 or more points at with 5 minutes left in the 2nd half the game will end.
SECTION 3. ATTIRE
Article 1. Teams also must have the same color shirts and have an alternative color (one dark
color/one light color). They do not have to be official uniforms. If both teams are wearing the same
color, there will be a coin toss, and the losing team will need to change into a different color. Failure
to provide a secondary uniform or unwillingness to change will result in a forfeit.
GAME CLOCK FORMAT
Games are 40 minutes (two 20-minute halves). Halftime is two minutes.
Each team will have two-time outs per game
The clock will run continuously during the first half.
The second half the clock will run continuously for 18 minutes unless a team timeout is used or play is stopped by an official (e.g. deal with an injury, challenge, referee conference, etc.)
A “stop-clock” will be in effect in the last two minutes of the second half, unless the point differential is greater than 17 points in the last two minutes of the second half.
The head official will give a verbal two-minute warning as close as possible to the actual two-minute mark but will not interrupt a live play.
The two-minute warning will stop the clock.
The time remaining the clock will be announced after every play inside the final two minutes of the contest.
The clock will not run during point-after-touchdown attempts (PATs) in last two minutes
of each half.
The play clock is 25 seconds at the officials ready.
SECTION 1. GENERAL OFFENSE
Article 1. Offensive players must come to a complete stop for one second before the ball is snapped unless they are the only player in motion.
Article 2. For specific divisions, no offensive player may begin a play closer than five yards from a sideline unless they were momentarily at least 9-yards from a sideline (this is sometimes referred to as “inside the numbers” or “checking in”). 3) All players must substitute from their sideline only. This allows the defense to be aware of their presence and avoids deceptive plays by the offense.
Article 3. The ball must be snapped between the center’s legs.
Article 4. It is a false start if any player on offense enters the neutral zone before the snap.
Article 5. The offense may not act or move in a manner that, in the judgement of the covering official, is clearly intended to cause the defense to encroach. Verbalizing play-calls or snap counts alone are not acts or moves that should be considered unless they are in conjunction with other acts or moves. The speed, abruptness, down and distance and if any player pretends to have the ball or otherwise simulate action at the snap will be considerations.
Article 6. Direct snaps are legal to any player not on the line-of-scrimmage.
Article 7. The ball will be declared dead if any portion of the ball carrier’s body other than their hands and feet (knee, elbow, buttocks, ball-in-hand, etc.) touches the ground.
Article 8. The offense is responsible for retrieving the ball and returning it an official or to the line of scrimmage at the end of each play.
SECTION 2. FUMBLES AND MUFFS
Article 1. Fumbles are a “dead ball” when they hit the ground. If a lateral, muffed or fumbled ball is intercepted before becoming dead it remains a “live ball”.
Article 2. Forward fumbles that hit the ground will be marked where the ball carrier’s feet were when he/she lost control and not the spot where the ball hit the ground.
Article 3. Muffed snaps will be marked where the ball hit the ground.
SECTION 3. RUNNING / JUMPING / DIVING
Article 1. Ball carriers are allowed to leave their feet, jump, and spin as evasive maneuvers in order to advance the ball as long as they do not put another player’s safety at risk. Not every insignificant jump or small hop constitutes a safety issue and player safety risk is at the discretion of each official. Jump cuts or leaping between two defenders is allowed if they do not initiate noteworthy contact with the defender or put another player’s safety at risk.
Article 2. Ball carriers may not hurdle over another player. Ball carriers may not dive, lunge, or fall forward in a perceived intentional manner in order to advance the ball or achieve a line-to-gain. This is a judgment call by the game officials.
GENERAL RULES
Article 3. Ball carriers may extend the ball out in front of them to gain additional yardage.
Article 4. Diving by the defense to capture a ball carrier’s flag is legal.
Article 5. Ball carriers must make every effort to avoid a defender who has established a stationary position.
Article 6. Runners may leave their feet to avoid collision or falling on another player.
Article 7. Passers may jump vertically to throw the ball over a defender. Article 8. The offense may use multiple backward hand-offs or laterals.
SECTION 4. FLAG GUARDING INCLUDING STIFF-ARMING
Article 1. The ball carrier’s flags must be accessible to the defense throughout the play. Flags may not be tucked in pants, tucked under jerseys, worn improperly, looped around the waist belt, or knotted.
Article 2. Flag guarding is the act of a ball carrier denying a defender the opportunity to capture their flag in any physical way. The ball carrier shall not flag guard by flailing of arms, using their hands, arms, elbows or extremely dipped shoulders to deny the opportunity of an opponent to remove a flag.
Article 3. The ball carrier may not swat a defender’s hands away nor pin the flag against their body using the ball or hands. An official may call flag guarding if they feel that a ball carrier’s natural running motion gave the ball carrier a decisive advantage over the defender and the running motion caused part of the ball carrier’s body to block a de-flagging attempt.
Article 4. What constitutes flag guarding is up to the official’s judgment. We recommend you carry the ball with your hands held high on the body to avoid flag guarding. This is one of the most difficult transitions for traditional football players. Flag guarding shall not be called if there is no defensive player within reasonable distance to capture the flag.
Article 5. The ball carrier may bend at the knees to dip low, side cut, skip, or take short hops. Extreme low dips (sometimes called a “duck-walk”) are legal and do not constitute flag guarding in themselves, as long as the flag carrier’s flags are still exposed and the defensive player isn’t physically impeded (i.e. the ball carrier isn’t using his arms, hands, shoulder, ball, etc. to impede the defender. Normally flag guarding can be avoiding while “duck-walking” when the ball carrier keeps his hands and elbows high on the body (ex: at shoulder-level). Examples of flag guarding:
stiff arming
pinning the flag
swatting
using the ball as a stiff arm
Article 6. No penalty will be called if a ball carrier simultaneously flag guards as the defender pulls the flag.
Article 7. Tampering with the flag in any way to gain advantage is illegal
OFFENSE
SECTION 1. OVERVIEW
Only one offensive player may be in motion at the snap and that motion must be parallel to the line-of-scrimmage. Any player in motion must be moving at least one yard off the line of scrimmage.
Players who go in motion do not count as “being on the line”.
The ball must be snapped from the ground in a fluid and continuous motion between the center’s legs.
There are no required distances between the center and other offensive players on the line.
No offensive player may start a play closer than five yards from the sideline.
The ball must be snapped while positioned between the hashmarks on a regulation field. If no hashmarks are available, it must be snapped between the width of the goalposts.
10 Yard no run zone going into the endzone
SECTION 2. BLOCKING
Contact blocking is allowed between the shoulders and waist only (a.k.a. “inside the frame”). Arms fully extended at all times.
Blocking in the back is not allowed.
Blockers must be on their feet before, during and after contact is made with their opponents.
No contact of any kind is allowed above the shoulders of an opponent. Illegal blocks include:
• Leading with the shoulder outside the ‘free blocking zone’
• Low/chop/cut blocks: An attempt by a player to block an opponent at the thigh level or lower.
• Crack-back block: A blind-side block on a player by an opponent who starts downfield and then cuts back toward the original spot of the ball to make contact.
• Blind-side block: Engaging an opponent who does not see the blocker approaching with anything other than fully extended arms and open palms.
• Clipping: A player hitting an opponent from behind.
• Tripping: A player using their leg or foot to stop an opponent’s forward motion.
• Hook or hug block: A player gaining advantage of an opponent by turning or detaining the opponent by illegally tackling or using arms around the body, waist, shoulders or arms.
• Rolling blocks: A player on the ground attempting to block or engage an opponent by moving or turning over and over on an axis.
• Dive blocks: A player leaving there feet to engage an opponent.
• Making contact with an opponent while swinging or flipping hands, arms or elbows.
• Slapping, punching, or swinging at an opponent with hands, arms or elbows.
• Grabbing or holding an opponent’s jersey while blocking.
• Interlocking of blocker’s fingers or hands.
• Laying on a downed defender
Swim moves (a player using a maneuver similar to a freestyle swimming stroke to get
past an opponent) are legal. However, if the swim move results in contact to an opponent above the
shoulder (neck, head, or face) it is illegal.
Downfield blocking for the ball carrier IS NOT allowed.
Blocking downfield while the ball is in the air is pass interference
Two-on-one blocking is PERMITTED as long as both blockers are engaging the opponent above the waist.
If a player turns to expose their back, it is not an illegal block as long as their opponent maintains contact with the player from the initial block.
SECTION 3. RUN PLAYS
Article 1. The quarterback — the player initially receiving the snap — may run to advance the ball at any time.
The offense may use multiple backward hand-offs or laterals.
To execute a center sneak, the ball must completely leave the center’s hands on the snap and they must take at least one step backwards off the line-of-scrimmage before receiving direct
hand-off from the quarterback before advancing the ball.
PASS PLAYS
Teams can make an unlimited number of backward passes and then throw a forward pass provided the player throwing the ball is behind the line of scrimmage.
DEFENSE
SECTION 1. RUSHING
Rushers are 1 yard of the ball, marked by two cones
Defensive lineman may not line up directly in front of an offensive lineman (i.e. head-to-head). They must “shade” (face toward each other but shoulder-to-shoulder) to one side or the other of their opponent for safety reasons.
The center is considered a defenseless player while their head is down in the snapping position and cannot be contacted until they assume a blocking position or has fired out into their pattern.
ROUGHING THE PASSER, HOLDER, CENTER Defensive players must make a concerted effort to avoid charging into an unprotected player.
To assist defensive players to avoid unnecessary contact with the passer the covering
official will endeavor, but is not required, to announce “balls away” when the ball has left the passer’s hand.
In general, defensive players may not “crash” the passer’s throwing arm, shoulder or body
even if the ball is touched first. This rule applies to holders and kickers as well.
An insignificant “brush-by” may be allowed by the referee but is not guaranteed.
Making contact with the quarterback while blocking a pass or attempting to block a pass may result in a roughing the passer penalty.
Whether or not a ball is tipped in the air by the defense has no bearing on the play as it
applies to fouls (roughing, personal fouls, etc.).
The defense can knock a pass down, but the ball must have left the passer’s hand. Otherwise, this is Stripping.
A roughing penalty will not be enforced if a passer initiates contact with a defensive player while in the throwing motion; for example, during the passer’s follow through makes contact with an opponent’s hand, arm, or shoulder. In this instance the energy of the contact is the action of the passer and not the defender. This is a judgment call.
It may be a personal foul if the passer’s follow through hand or arm makes contact with an opponent’s head, neck or face. This is a judgement call.
PASS COVERAGE
Contacting receivers within the initial 5-yards from scrimmage is allowed as long as the ball is not in the air.
Contact within the initial five yards must be continuous (i.e. no “re-loading”) and applied “inside the frame” of the body.
A defender may turn an opponent “off their route” as long as the defender’s hands are “inside the frame”.
Pass interference normally occurs above the waist; entangled feet are not considered pass interference.
Incidental contact is not considered pass interference.
A player may “find” their opponent by reaching out and placing a hand on them as long as touching does not delay, impede, twist, or turn their opponent. This is not considered pass
interference.
Contact away from the direction of the pass is not considered pass interference but may be considered illegal contact Examples of pass interference include:
Shoving or pushing off to create separation.
• Playing through the back.
• Hook and turn: grabbing the torso and turning an opponent before the pass arrives.
• Defender is looking at the receiver and makes significant contact materially impeding the receiver.
• Arm bars, hooking, restricting, grabbing wrists, or turning a receiver.
• Blocking downfield before the ball has been touched, commonly seen through “pick plays”.
• Cutting off the path of a receiver by being in front of them and slowing down or being beside them and “riding” them off there path to the ball.
Article 8. Whether a pass is catchable or uncatchable has no bearing on pass interference. The benefit of the doubt is given to the receiver.
Article 9. A player may use their arms or hands to intentionally obstruct the receiver’s view (face guarding) of the ball without turning their own head to play the ball as long as noteworthy contact is not made with the receiver.
Article 10. The remedy for defensive pass interference is 15-yard and an automatic first down or
half the distance to the goal and a first down, even if it occurred in the end zone.
Article 11. Interceptions may be returned.
Article 12. Interceptions in the end zone that are not returned to the field of play will result in a touchback and the ball will be spotted on the 20-yard line.
RULE 4. KICKING
KICK OFFS
The kicking team will kick from their 20 yard-line unless moved by penalty.
Teams have one minute from the end of PAT attempts to execute kick offs.
All players of the kicking team must start with one foot on the kicking line with the exception of the kicker (i.e. there is no ‘run up’ allowed).
The receiving team’s restraining line will be 10-yards from the kicking team’s restraining line.
Four players on the receiving team must start the play within five yards of the receiving team’s restraining line.
A kick that breaks the goal line is still live and may be carried out (returned) by the receiving team.
If a kickoff goes out of bounds untouched beyond the receiving team’s restraining line, ball will be placed at the next 1st down line
Touchbacks will be spotted at the 20-yard line
SECTION 4. PROTECTED PUNT
On any down, the offense may request protection for a protected punt.
Both teams must maintain at least 5 players on the line until the ball is kicked.
The offense cannot cross the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
Lineman on the defensive line may raise their arms, and or jump to distract, or try to block the kick but may not cross the line of scrimmage. Defenders may not move laterally along the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
The penalty for not punting the ball immediately shall be a 5-yard, illegal procedure.
If a protected punt has been announced and a timeout is called, the team must re-declare their intention for a protected punt.
If a protected punt has been announced and then the kicking team runs an offensive play, the penalty shall be an immediate dead ball foul for unsportsmanlike conduct (15 yards and a loss
of down).
All touchbacks will be placed at the 20-yard line.
SECTION 6. ONSIDE PLAY OPTION
Article 1. This option is only available to a team who has just immediately scored a touchdown or field goal, is losing, and during the final two minutes of the second half.
Article 2. This is an untimed down.
Article 3. This option is not available after the trailing team has scored a safety.
Article 4. This option is never available to the team ahead in points.
Article 5. After the trailing team has scored and attempted the extra point, the team captain of the trailing team must inform the referee they intend to attempt an onside play.
Article 6. The ball is placed at the offensive team’s 20-yard line, going out.
Article 7. This play is treated exactly like a fourth down play including the assessment of penalties with one exception. If a foul occurs that includes an automatic first down (ex: roughing the passer) the offense will not receive a new set of downs. They will receive the 15-yard penalty and replay the
down, i.e. fourth and five from the 35-yard line, line to gains is the 40-yard line.
Article 8. The offense must advance the ball to the 40-yard line or beyond, after all live ball penalties have been accessed in order to retain the ball.
Article 9. Dead ball penalties will not be considered in determining if the line-to-gain was achieved.
Article 10. If the offense retains the ball the next zone-line-to-gain will be determined.
Article 11. If the offense does not retain the ball the defense will take possession of the ball where it became dead (end of the run or previous line of scrimmage) and the next zone-line-to-gain will be
established.
Article 12. Interceptions returned to the end zone by the defense during an onside play are worth six points and a PAT attempt.
Article 13. There is no limit to the amount of onside plays a team may use as long as the provisions
of lines 1, 2 and 3 of this section are still valid.
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