Flag Football Rules

• All participants must print and sign the Intramural Score Card prior to the start of each game.  If a player comes late, they still must sign in before they are subbed in.
• A team shall consist of 8 players. Teams can start with 7 players

EQUIPMENT:

• Coin toss will determine which team wears the pinnies.
  1. All undershirts MUST be tucked in.
  2. Jerseys and/or pinnies must not cover the flags
•  Flag Belts
  1. Each player must wear a flag belt, with all the 3 flags being arranged, one on each side and one in the center of the back.
  2. Failure to have flag belt legally attached prior to the snap will result in a PENALTY -  5 yards from the previous spot and loss of down.

THE GAME:

• Games shall consist of two 20 minute halves, with a three-minute halftime break.
• All time will be running except for the last two minutes of each half.  During the last two minutes of each half the clock will be stopped as follows:
  1. Incomplete pass
  2. Penalty
  3. 1st down
  4. Out of bounds
  5. Time-out
  6. Change of possession
  7. Kick-offs

• Each team is allowed 3 time-outs per game
• TIES
  1. Tie games in the regular season will be scored a tie
  2. During playoffs, we will use a college-style overtime. 

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    • Each team gets the ball at the 20 yard line and has 4 downs to score, two-point conversion will take place as usual.
    •  If the score is still tied after each team's possession, they switch sides, and once again they each get 4 downs to score from the 20 yard line. 
    • If the score is still tied after 2 OT rounds, then there will be a coin toss.  Whichever team wins the toss gets the choice to play either offense or defense. 
    • The offense will get 4 downs from the 25 yard line to score.  If they do, they win.  If the defense stops them from scoring on 4 downs, they win.

PLAY:

• A coin toss will determine the receiving, kicking and defending of goal. The winner of the toss has the choice of possession or direction.
• The game will begin with a kick-off from the goal line
• The receiving team will line up as follows:

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  • Four players line up 1 yard in front of their 15-yard line and may not move until the ball is kicked.
  • The other four must be behind the 15-yard line.

• There are NO on-side kicks.  Teams must field the kick, no matter how many bounces the ball takes.  If the ball goes out of bounds, the ball will be placed 5 yards up from where it goes out. 
• There are no fumbles; the ball is dead where it hits the ground. (Exception: during a punt on the snap from center).
• All fumbles are dead balls. A DROPPED KICK-OFF RETURN IN THE END ZONE WILL BE SPOTTED AT THE 10-YARD LINE.

• If a touch back occurs, the ball will be placed at the 15-yard line.
• Defense is allowed 1 blitz every 4 downs.   If a team blitzes more than once in a set of downs, the penalty would be 10 yards up and automatic first down.
• A team may punt on any down. If a team wishes to punt, they must notify the officials before they go in their huddle. The officials will notify the defensive team and allow them to set up.
  1. Punting team must have 3 players on the line of scrimmage.
  2. Receiving team must have 4 players on the line of scrimmage.
  3. Remaining players on both sides must be at least 1 yard off the line of scrimmage.
  4. There is no rushing by the defensive team when a punt is taking place.
  5. Procedure for punting is as follows:

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    •  The center will hike the ball to the punter in the shotgun   formation.
    • Once the ball is hiked the punter will have four seconds to get the kick-off. If the four seconds has expired and the ball has not been kicked, the opportunity is lost, the play is blown dead and the opposing team gets the ball at the same line of scrimmage.

•  Flag Belt Removal:
  1. Players must have possession of the ball before they can legally be de-flagged,   which is determined by the official.
  2. When a player loses his/her flag belt inadvertently, the runner is considered down as soon as they are touched by an opponent with one hand.
  3. In circumstances where a flag belt is removed illegally (ex. tackling), play should continue with the option of the penalty added on to the play. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
  4. Intentionally pulling a flag from an offensive player without the ball is illegal. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards
  5. Tampering with the flag belt in any way to gain advantage, including tying, using foreign materials, or other such acts, is illegal.
• Scrimmage plays:
  1. The offensive team must have 4 players (3 interior lineman and 1 receiver or Tight end) on the line of scrimmage. One player is allowed to be in motion.
  2. No restrictions on  receivers.
  3. Linemen cannot go out for a pass, EXCEPT the tight-end
  4. Multiple lateral passes are allowed. Only one forward pass is allowed on each down, with the passer being behind the line of scrimmage. If the offensive team throws more than one forward pass and/or throws a pass after progressing over the line of scrimmage, a 5-yard penalty will be asses with a loss of down occurring.
  5. Defensive Lineman must lineup Head Up against the offensive lineman in front of them.  They can rush every play.  Penalty for not lining up head up would be 5 yards up and replay the down.
• First down are made by moving the ball, via pass or run, into the next 15-yard zone. If any part of the ball crosses the first down line, it will be considered a first down.
• For a pass to be complete, a receiver must have one foot in bounds.
• A player shall be considered down if 1 or both knees make contact with the ground. If a player falls and no knee contact is made with the ground, the player may continue to run.
• Touchdowns are made by having the ball crossing the plane of the goal line.
• A safety will be called when:
  1. The QB drops the ball in the end zone.
  2. The snap from the center touches the ground in the end zone.
  3. A lateral is dropped in the end zone.
  4. A punt attempt, or the snap of the punt, is dropped in the end zone.
  5. The punter, while attempting to punt and in possession of the ball, steps on or   over the end line (not to be confused with the goal line)
  6. The QB is de-flagged in the end zone.
• After a safety, the team that committed the safety may elect to either punt or kick-off from their goal line. Normal kick-off procedures will be followed. Should the team elect to punt, the line requirement is waived (kick-off lineup is used).

SCORING:

• A touchdown is worth 6 points.
• A try after is worth either 1 or 2 points.
• A safety is worth 2 points.
• An interception returned for a touchdown on an extra point play is worth 1 point.
• After a team scores a touchdown, it may try for either 1 or 2 points. After the touchdown, the officials will place the ball down on the 3-yard line. A team may score 2 points by running the ball into the end zone. One point is awarded for throwing the ball in the end zone, via forward pass.
• Any penalties occurring on the try after the touchdown will be assessed at that time. The only exception will be an illegal roughness or abuse of official penalty. These penalties will automatically be marked off against the offending team after the kick-off has taken place. 

BLOCKING:

• BLOCKING IS ALLOWED ON THE LINE OF SCRIMAGE, THE BLOCKER CAN EXTEND THEIR ARMS FROM THE CHEST TO THE NAVEL ON A DEFENSIVE PLAYER. A SCREEN BLOCK SHALL TAKE PLACE ONLY DOWN FIELD WITHOUT CONTACT. THE SCREEN BLOCKER, AS WELL AS THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER, SHALL HAVE HIS/HER HAND AND ARMS AT THEIR SIDE OR BEHIND THEIR BACK. ANY USE OF HANDS, ARMS, ELBHOWS, LEGS, OR BODY TO INTIATE CONTACT DURING A SCREEN BLOCK IS ILLEGAL. A BLOCKER MAY USE HIS/HER HAND OR ARMS TO BREAK A FALL, OR RETAIN THEIR BALANCE. A PLAYER MUST BE ON HIS HER FEET BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER SCREEN BLOCKING.
• PENALTY: personal foul, 10 yards

PENALTIES:

• 5 yards
  • Off-sides
  • Delay of game (more than 30 seconds in the huddle)
  • Illegal procedure.

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    • False start.
    • Illegal motion.
    • Improper number of players on the line of scrimmage.
    • Improper line up of players on the line.
    • Offensive team throws more than one forward pass.
    • Kick-off that goes out of bound.
      • On a kick-off, if the kicking team is offsides, the receiving team has the option of accepting the 5 yards after the kick-off has taken place. There are no re-kicks.

• 10 Yards:

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  • Clipping
  • Illegal roughness (tackling, fighting, shoving out of bounds, roughing the QB).
  • Holding (offensive and defensive).
  • Illegal de-flagging.
  • Illegal bumping of receivers.
  • Tripping.
  • Illegal blocking.

* Offensive penalties will be marked off from the line of scrimmage
* Defensive penalties will be marked as follows:

• Clipping: from the line of scrimmage.
• Illegal roughness: after the play is over. 10 yards will be added on the line of scrimmage.
• Holding: point of infraction will determine the new line of scrimmage OR 10 yards from the original line of scrimmage, whichever is greater.
• Pass interference: point of infraction will determine or 10 yards (whichever is greater) will determine the new line of scrimmage. Automatic 1st down.
• Abuse of official: 10 yards added to the end of play.
• Illegal de-flagging: 10 yards added to the end of play.

All penalties not covered in these rules will be governed by the official NCAA rulebook. If a player is issued an illegal roughness penalty, that player will be warned. If it occurs again, the player will be ejected from the game. A touchdown will nullify all defensive penalties. If there is enough yardage to mark a penalty off against either team, the entire penalty will be marked off. Half the distance to the goal will be used only if the entire penalty cannot be marked off.

MISC:

• Metal spike are NOT permitted to be worn.
• Casts may NOT be worn on any part of the body.
• Dropped laterals are dead balls (safety if dropped on the endline).
• Huddles are 30 seconds long.
• MUST have 8 players from the offensive team in the huddle.  No more, no less.  CANNOT break huddle with 9 – Penalty, 5 yards.

CONDUCT:

• Any player contact with an official will result in a 10 yard penalty plus ejection from the game. The official has the right to forfeit the game to the non-offending team if he/she deems it necessary. Any second offense will result in suspension from any further intramural activity for the remainder of the academic school year.
• Only captains may discuss problems with officials. Furthermore, the only time a player may question an official is when there is an inquiry concerning a rule interpretation. Any abuse will not be tolerated. The first offense will result in ejection from the game and a hearing with the Intramural Advisory Board.