Intramural Flag Football RULEBOOK
Intramural Flag Football RULEBOOK LAST YEAR’S CHAMPIONS WOMEN’S Sigma Theta Chi MEN’S G a m m a S i g m a P h i
Abilene Christian university Fall 2015
GENERAL RULES a. Flags must be worn on the outside of shirts b. No watches, earrings, bracelets, sunglasses, hats, metal spikes c. The game is played between 2 teams of 7 players 1) Each team must have a minimum of 5 players d. Captains should be designated to act as the main spokesperson with referees e. If you wish to warm-‐up before a game, you must bring your own ball or check out a warm up ball f. Game balls will be used by all teams to ensure that footballs are properly inflated and the proper size g. If an ineligible player is discovered during a game, that game is forfeited
The Field of Play 4 zones of 20 yards 2 end zones of 10 yards 1st down is at every line
SCORING a. Touchdowns are 6 points b. Conversion Tries 1) 3 yard = 1 point Try 2) 10 yard = 2 points Try 3) An intercepted ball or fumble will result in a dead ball and failed Try c. Safeties are 2 points d. A touchdown or conversion is good when any part of the ball crosses the goal line e. Referees will take flag belts off of players who score when it appears the belt may be tied f. Mercy Rule: If a team is ahead by 21 points in the last 2 minutes of a game OR If a team is ahead by 40 points at any point during a game
TIME
RUNNING C
a. Games will consist of 2 halves b. Each half is 20 minutes c. The clock will stop in the last 2 minutes of the second half for the following: 1) Penalties, Touchdowns, Incomplete Passes, Injuries, Temporarily for 1st Downs, change of possessions, and out-‐of-‐bounds d. Two 30 second timeouts per half – they do not carry over e. 30-‐second play clock (delay of game) f. Overtime: ties will not be broken during the regular season 1) During the playoffs: teams will have 4 plays to advance the ball into the end zone from the 20 yard line i. After scoring, teams may try for a 1 or 2-‐point conversion ii. After 2 OT periods, teams will be forced to go for a 2-‐point conversion
LOCK
2 TIMEOUTS PER HALF
1 2
OFFENSE a. The ball may not be snapped until spotted by the head referee b. Side snaps are allowed 1) Must be 2 yards behind scrimmage 2) Snaps under center are not allowed c. All players are eligible to receive a pass d. Forward passes must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage 1) Only one forward pass per down e. The offense has 4 downs to advance the ball past each 20-‐yard line. f. The ball is declared dead when it hits the ground 1) fumbles, laterals, muffed kicks or punts, and incomplete passes g. Only one foot is required to touch inbounds when the ball is caught 1) If a foot is out of bounds when ball is caught, that player is out of bounds h. Intentional Grounding*: Passer may not intentionally ground the ball or throw the ball away to avoid a sack. To qualify as intentional grounding, these 2 things must be true: 1) Must be under duress 2) Must not have receiver in the area thrown to i. Flag Guarding: An intentional or unintentional move with the hands, ball, or arms to prevent opponents from removing one’s flagbelt j. Illegal Blocking: Use of arms, elbows, hands, or legs to push or hold 1) Blocker’s arms should be at his side or behind his back 2) Females may cross arms on their upper body without raising elbows k. Forward Lateral: Players may not pitch the ball forward once they are passed the line of scrimmage (Illegal Forward Pass*) l. Illegally Secured Flag*: Flag belts may not be tied or secured too tightly in any fashion. m. Hurdling: Players may not hurdle other players for any reason n. Unsportsmanlike Conduct 1) Excessive celebration 2) Cursing: Automatic Ejection 3) Taunting o. Personal Foul 1) Violence 2) Excessive Contact (intentional tackles & stiff arms) p. False Start / Illegal Motion: moving prior to the snap, multiple players moving at the time of the snap, playing in motion moving forward at the moment of the snap 1) Offensive team must have 1 player on the line of scrimmage q. Offensive Pass Interference*: excessive contact with the hands, arms, legs, or body to gain advantage over defender. Ball does not have to be in the air. *-‐Loss of Down **-‐Automatic First Down
DEFENSE a. Defenses may line up however they choose on their side of the ball b. Defensive players may not fake cadences (Saying, “Hut”) c. When a flag belt is accidentally removed, that player must be touched with 1 hand after he or she gains possession a. Discretion is left to the official regarding the accidental removal of a flag d. Safeties occur when a player is deflagged with the ball in his own end zone. a. Momentum Rule – When a defensive player intercepts a ball inside the 5-‐ yard line and his momentum carries him into the end zone, it is not a safety e. Illegal Deflag: A defensive player may not hold, push, or knock down the ball carrier in an attempt to remove the flag. Also, players may NOT purposefully remove a player’s flags not in possession. f. Pass Interference**: Excessive contact with the hands, arms, body, or legs while the ball is in the air. g. Bull Rush: Defensive players must go around offensive blockers. Use of the arms, legs, hands, or body is illegal. h. Offsides: Being across the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. i. Roughing the Passer**: Contact with the quarterback after a throw j. Illegally Secured Flag Belt**: When a turnover occurs, an illegally secured flag belt results in a cancellation of the change of possession k. Holding: A player may not hold another player, even while deflagging l. Attempted Strip of a Ball: A player may not try to remove the ball from the ball carrier’s possession.
Extension of Half or Game A half must be extended w/ an untimed down, if one of the following occurs as time runs out: 1. There was an accepted foul (except Loss of Down Fouls). 2. There was a double foul – fouls by both teams during the play. 3. There was an Inadvertent Whistle
SPECIAL TEAMS a. Punts: If a team decides to punt, the team punting must announce it before the down begins (Teams must re-‐announce a punt after a timeout or stoppage of play). 1) Neither team may move until the ball has been punted 2) Punts may not be intentionally blocked 3) The punter may not stall 4) Both defensive players must have 3 players on the line of scrimmage b. Kickoffs: Teams may kick or punt the ball 1) Kickoffs are to take place from the 20-‐yard line 2) The receiving team must have 3 players on the 40-‐yard line 3) A kickoff that goes out of bounds in the end zone is a touchback and is to be spotted at the 20-‐yard line 4) A kickoff that goes out of bounds between the goal line and 30-‐yard line is to be spotted at the 30 yard line 5) A kickoff that goes out of bounds from the 30-‐yard line forward is to be spotted where it went out 6) The kickoff team may only recover the ball, if a returner fumbles the ball and the kickoff team catches the ball in the air c. Returners 1) If a ball touches a returner or the punting team and hits the ground, the ball is dead at that spot 2) If a punt touches a returner in the field of play and hits the ground inside or past the end zone, it is down at the 1 yard line 3) If the kicking team touches the kick, it’s down at the spot they touch the ball. i. Unless the punt hits a returner and the punt team catches the ball before it hits the ground
Abilene Christian university Fall 2015
GENERAL RULES a. Flags must be worn on the outside of shirts b. No watches, earrings, bracelets, sunglasses, hats, metal spikes c. The game is played between 2 teams of 7 players 1) Each team must have a minimum of 5 players d. Captains should be designated to act as the main spokesperson with referees e. If you wish to warm-‐up before a game, you must bring your own ball or check out a warm up ball f. Game balls will be used by all teams to ensure that footballs are properly inflated and the proper size g. If an ineligible player is discovered during a game, that game is forfeited
The Field of Play 4 zones of 20 yards 2 end zones of 10 yards 1st down is at every line
SCORING a. Touchdowns are 6 points b. Conversion Tries 1) 3 yard = 1 point Try 2) 10 yard = 2 points Try 3) An intercepted ball or fumble will result in a dead ball and failed Try c. Safeties are 2 points d. A touchdown or conversion is good when any part of the ball crosses the goal line e. Referees will take flag belts off of players who score when it appears the belt may be tied f. Mercy Rule: If a team is ahead by 21 points in the last 2 minutes of a game OR If a team is ahead by 40 points at any point during a game
TIME
RUNNING C
a. Games will consist of 2 halves b. Each half is 20 minutes c. The clock will stop in the last 2 minutes of the second half for the following: 1) Penalties, Touchdowns, Incomplete Passes, Injuries, Temporarily for 1st Downs, change of possessions, and out-‐of-‐bounds d. Two 30 second timeouts per half – they do not carry over e. 30-‐second play clock (delay of game) f. Overtime: ties will not be broken during the regular season 1) During the playoffs: teams will have 4 plays to advance the ball into the end zone from the 20 yard line i. After scoring, teams may try for a 1 or 2-‐point conversion ii. After 2 OT periods, teams will be forced to go for a 2-‐point conversion
LOCK
2 TIMEOUTS PER HALF
1 2
OFFENSE a. The ball may not be snapped until spotted by the head referee b. Side snaps are allowed 1) Must be 2 yards behind scrimmage 2) Snaps under center are not allowed c. All players are eligible to receive a pass d. Forward passes must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage 1) Only one forward pass per down e. The offense has 4 downs to advance the ball past each 20-‐yard line. f. The ball is declared dead when it hits the ground 1) fumbles, laterals, muffed kicks or punts, and incomplete passes g. Only one foot is required to touch inbounds when the ball is caught 1) If a foot is out of bounds when ball is caught, that player is out of bounds h. Intentional Grounding*: Passer may not intentionally ground the ball or throw the ball away to avoid a sack. To qualify as intentional grounding, these 2 things must be true: 1) Must be under duress 2) Must not have receiver in the area thrown to i. Flag Guarding: An intentional or unintentional move with the hands, ball, or arms to prevent opponents from removing one’s flagbelt j. Illegal Blocking: Use of arms, elbows, hands, or legs to push or hold 1) Blocker’s arms should be at his side or behind his back 2) Females may cross arms on their upper body without raising elbows k. Forward Lateral: Players may not pitch the ball forward once they are passed the line of scrimmage (Illegal Forward Pass*) l. Illegally Secured Flag*: Flag belts may not be tied or secured too tightly in any fashion. m. Hurdling: Players may not hurdle other players for any reason n. Unsportsmanlike Conduct 1) Excessive celebration 2) Cursing: Automatic Ejection 3) Taunting o. Personal Foul 1) Violence 2) Excessive Contact (intentional tackles & stiff arms) p. False Start / Illegal Motion: moving prior to the snap, multiple players moving at the time of the snap, playing in motion moving forward at the moment of the snap 1) Offensive team must have 1 player on the line of scrimmage q. Offensive Pass Interference*: excessive contact with the hands, arms, legs, or body to gain advantage over defender. Ball does not have to be in the air. *-‐Loss of Down **-‐Automatic First Down
DEFENSE a. Defenses may line up however they choose on their side of the ball b. Defensive players may not fake cadences (Saying, “Hut”) c. When a flag belt is accidentally removed, that player must be touched with 1 hand after he or she gains possession a. Discretion is left to the official regarding the accidental removal of a flag d. Safeties occur when a player is deflagged with the ball in his own end zone. a. Momentum Rule – When a defensive player intercepts a ball inside the 5-‐ yard line and his momentum carries him into the end zone, it is not a safety e. Illegal Deflag: A defensive player may not hold, push, or knock down the ball carrier in an attempt to remove the flag. Also, players may NOT purposefully remove a player’s flags not in possession. f. Pass Interference**: Excessive contact with the hands, arms, body, or legs while the ball is in the air. g. Bull Rush: Defensive players must go around offensive blockers. Use of the arms, legs, hands, or body is illegal. h. Offsides: Being across the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. i. Roughing the Passer**: Contact with the quarterback after a throw j. Illegally Secured Flag Belt**: When a turnover occurs, an illegally secured flag belt results in a cancellation of the change of possession k. Holding: A player may not hold another player, even while deflagging l. Attempted Strip of a Ball: A player may not try to remove the ball from the ball carrier’s possession.
Extension of Half or Game A half must be extended w/ an untimed down, if one of the following occurs as time runs out: 1. There was an accepted foul (except Loss of Down Fouls). 2. There was a double foul – fouls by both teams during the play. 3. There was an Inadvertent Whistle
SPECIAL TEAMS a. Punts: If a team decides to punt, the team punting must announce it before the down begins (Teams must re-‐announce a punt after a timeout or stoppage of play). 1) Neither team may move until the ball has been punted 2) Punts may not be intentionally blocked 3) The punter may not stall 4) Both defensive players must have 3 players on the line of scrimmage b. Kickoffs: Teams may kick or punt the ball 1) Kickoffs are to take place from the 20-‐yard line 2) The receiving team must have 3 players on the 40-‐yard line 3) A kickoff that goes out of bounds in the end zone is a touchback and is to be spotted at the 20-‐yard line 4) A kickoff that goes out of bounds between the goal line and 30-‐yard line is to be spotted at the 30 yard line 5) A kickoff that goes out of bounds from the 30-‐yard line forward is to be spotted where it went out 6) The kickoff team may only recover the ball, if a returner fumbles the ball and the kickoff team catches the ball in the air c. Returners 1) If a ball touches a returner or the punting team and hits the ground, the ball is dead at that spot 2) If a punt touches a returner in the field of play and hits the ground inside or past the end zone, it is down at the 1 yard line 3) If the kicking team touches the kick, it’s down at the spot they touch the ball. i. Unless the punt hits a returner and the punt team catches the ball before it hits the ground
