| Flag Football Rules |
|
|
| Written by Matt Clarkson | |
|
By definition we this is a non-contact flag football league, but we realize that incidental contact will occur from time to time. You are responsible for making sure that all of your players are aware of the rules. Please remember that profanity and fighting will not be tolerated at any time. Both are grounds for immediate ejection.
The League:7 vs. 7 Each team must have at least 5 players on the field. Less than 5 is a forfeit. Players must be 18 years of age. Playing Equipment: Footballs - Must be at least high school regulation. Uniforms - Each player needs to wear a jersey (supplied by Crossings) that matches his team. Prohibited Equipment: Jewelry, Metal Cleats, casts & other hard objects. Coin Toss: Each game will begin with a coin toss to determine possession and defending sides. Teams will switch sides at half. Game Clock: The Referee keeps the official time. Each half is 20 minutes, running time. The clock stops for extra-point attempts, timeouts and at the discretion of the game officials (i.e. player injuries). The clock will be stopped within the final two minutes of the half for all of the following: penalties, timeouts, incomplete pass, change of possession & when the ball carrier goes out of bounds; stopping the clock for injuries will be at the discretion of the game officials. A 25-second play clock is in effect. All game times are forfeit times. Overtime: In an overtime period each team will have a series of 4 downs to score a touchdown from the 10 yard line. Extra points will be attempted. If the score is still tied after one period, play will proceed to a second period or for as many periods as are needed to determine a winner. Defensive interceptions may be returned for touchdowns (or 2 pts on an extra point attempt). Scoring: Touchdowns - 6 Points Extra point attempts are a dead ball play; clock is stopped Extra point from the 3-yard line – 1 pt Extra point from the 10-yard line – 2 pt Defensive return of an extra point attempt – 2 pt Safety – 2 pt 1st Downs: 80-yard field is divided into 4 20-yard zones. Offensive team must advance the ball to the next 20-yard zone within four downs to gain a 1st down. Flag Rules: Each player must wear a Flag Belt with 3 flags. Flag Belts are to be clipped, not tied! Any player found to have his flag belt tied will be automatically ejected from the game. Flags must be worn over the player’s uniform; player’s jersey must be tucked in All players starting without flags will result in 10-yard penalty (per violation). Removing of the Flag: Ball carrier is considered down when flag is cleanly removed by the opposing team. The ball will be spotted where the ball is at the point of flag removal. If the flag is removed inadvertently, ball carrier is down upon ONE HAND TOUCH below the neck One knee down is considered down. Begin game, play after touchdown or half: Teams will start on their own 20-yard line to begin play. Punts/Kicks: A delay of game penalty will be assessed if the punt is not away in 5 seconds. Offense has the choice of whether or not they wish to declare a punt. If they declare a free kick then the defense is not allowed to rush, otherwise the defense may rush or use a blitz. During a punt, the offense may leave the line of scrimmage as soon as the ball is kicked. Quick kicks are legal. Screening Screening is allowed ONLY behind the line of scrimmage. The offensive player setting the screen must interlock his hands behind the back or hook both hands in the flag belt. The screening player MAY NOT initiate contact with the defensive player. An offensive player may not leave his feet to screen. Defensive players MAY NOT run over or through a screening player in an attempt to reach the ball carrier. Offensive restrictions: Ball carrier is not permitted to protect the flag by stiff-arm or slapping. Spin moves and jumping are allowed, but the offensive player then becomes responsible for avoiding all contact when performing these moves. Flag Guarding is a 10- yard penalty from the point of the infraction. Defensive restrictions: NO TACKLING or HITTING ALLOWED!!! The defensive player may not hold, grasp, or obstruct forward progress of the ball carrier when in the act of removing the flag. Stripping the ball from the ball carrier is not allowed. Excessive force will result in an ejection. Avoiding Contact: Both the offensive and defensive players are responsible for avoiding contact. The defensive player has the right to stand his ground, and a ball carrier may not purposely run into a defensive player. Forward Pass: Offensive players must be behind the line of scrimmage in order to throw a forward pass. Only one forward pass allowed for each play. Offensive team may throw one or more lateral passes before and after the line of scrimmage. One foot in bounds is a complete pass. Fumbles: All Fumbles touching the ground result in a dead ball, spotted where ball hits the ground or crosses over the sideline. Balls fumbled forward will be spotted at the point of the fumble. Play will continue on snaps from the center that bounce and are fielded cleanly by the quarterback; snaps that go over the head of the quarterback and muffed snaps will be blown dead and spotted at the applicable spot. Muffed catches of punts/free kicks will be blown dead and spotted at the point of the muffed catch. Motion / Men in Backfield: Only one offensive player may be in motion, parallel to the line of scrimmage, at the snap. Only the center must be on the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. Blitzes: A defensive player cannot be moving toward the line of scrimmage prior to the snap of the ball and pursue the QB. Timing the snap to gain an advantage is a 10-yard penalty. Any player can rush the QB as long as a moving start is not used. A player must come to a stop before crossing the line of scrimmage. Player Conduct: *The officials assume authority of the game; his decision is final. The official has the right to eject a player for a portion of or for the entire game. At the referees’ discretion, any fighting can result in an immediate ejection from the game. Any player ejected from two games is INELIGIBLE for the playoffs. Penalties: 5-yard penalties Offsides/Encroachment False start Delay of game Illegal snap Illegal kick Illegal motion/shift 10-yard penalties Illegal block Charging Holding Tripping Impeding the runner Defensive holding (automatic 1st down) Interference to catch a kick Offensive pass interference Illegal handoff (loss of down) Illegal forward pass (loss of down) Intentional grounding (loss of down) 15-yard penalty Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty Hitting/fighting Fake deflagging Spot of the foul penalty Defensive pass interference Free kick touched by kicking team |
© 2007 Chapel Hill United Methodist Church
2717 West Hefner Road • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
Office (405) 751-0755 • (405) 752-8919 Care Line and Fax
2717 West Hefner Road • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120
Office (405) 751-0755 • (405) 752-8919 Care Line and Fax