Flag Football Rules

Men's, Women's and Co-Rec.

Mandatory Meeting:
Mandatory Meeting on Wednesday, September 5 at 8 p.m. in 129JC. You MUST have a representative attend the meeting or your team will not be eligible to play.
 
Play-offs:
To be eligible for playoffs: Each player must play in two games with their team. Your team must not have forfeited any games.
 
Team Schedules:
Schedules, scores and information pertaining to Intramural events will be posted on the Rec. Sports Bulletin Boards, located in the Fitness Center and in the ASC (across from the ASC Conference Rooms). If your team cannot make a game, call the Campus Recreation office at 372-6765 at least 24 hours before game time. The game will be recorded as a forfeit and a $20 re-entry fee must be paid by the next working day at 3pm in order to continue play in the league. A team may do this only ONE time during regular season play and not at all during playoffs.
 
Eligibility:
All currently enrolled TLU students, faculty, staff and spouses are eligible to participate in Intramural Sports. A player may play for ONE TEAM ONLY. Players may not switch teams after playing with a team. Players may play on a single gender team AND a Co-Rec team. Players must have their name and signatures on the roster. ONLY TWO TLU ex-varsity football players per team.
 
Ejections:
Any player ejected from a game, for any reason, must meet with the Intramural Director before playing in another intramural event. Ejected players may receive suspensions from future games or events.
 
Protests:
Protests concerning eligibility of a player and rule interpretation can be made. However, teams cannot protest a judgment call by an official.
 
Important Numbers:
Debbie Roberts 372-6762 and Matt Grahn 372-6765 (Rec. Sports Director, and rain out information)

All players MUST bring a valid TLU ID. No ID – NO PLAY – NO Exceptions.
 
Players:
Seven (7) players constitute a team. A team may play a scheduled game with a minimum of five (5) players. Co Rec. only: The game shall be played between 2 teams of 8 players, 4 males and 4 females. Teams consisting of 7 players shall be 4 females and 3 males or 4 males and 3 females. Six players (3 male and 3 female) are required. No player may participate on more than one team, unless his/her second team is a Co-Rec team.
 
Game time is forfeit time. A team needs at least five (5) legal players to begin the game. Please arrive 10 minutes before game time to check in with the supervisor. If the forfeiting team wants to play the rest of their regular season games, a representative must come into the Intramural Office by 3:00 pm the next working day to pay the $20.00 forfeit fee. After two (2) forfeits, the team is not eligible for playoffs.

A toss of a coin will determine which team will gain possession of the ball first. The team that wins the coin toss has three options:

• First possession of the ball.
• Defend the goal of their choice.
• Defer their option to the second half.

Games will consist of two 20-minute halves and a 3-minute halftime. Timing will be continuous for the entire first half and for the first 18 minutes of the second half.

Only a team time-out and official's time-out can stop the clock. The clock will stop during the final two minutes of the second half for:

1. Incomplete pass- clock restarts on the snap.
2. Out of bounds- clock restarts on snap.
3. Penalty- clock restarts depending on the result of the previous play.
4. Score- clock restarts on opponent's next snap from scrimmage.
5. Time outs- clock restarts on snap.
6. Fair catch- clock restarts on snap.
7. Touch back- clock restarts on snap.
8. Inadvertent whistle- clock starts on the ready for play whistle.
9. First down- clock restarts depending on result of the previous play.

 
Approximately 2 minutes before the end of each half, the Referee shall inform both team captains the playing time remaining in each half. The clock will stop in the 2nd half for the 2-minute warning and will restart on the next snap.

Mercy Rule: If a team is leading by 17 points, or attains a lead of 17 points or more, in the final 2 minutes of the game, the game will end. During a Co-Rec. game, if a team is leading by 20 points, or attains a lead of 20 points, the game is over.

The ball must be put into play no more than 25 seconds after the official has marked it ready for play.

Two one-minute time-outs per half are allowed for each team. Teams will receive one time-out for each overtime period (play-offs only). Time-outs do not carry over between halves or into the overtime period.
 
Overtime procedures: (play-offs only):
Each team will have a series of four downs to score from their opponent's 10-yard line. If they score, they will attempt an extra point (1 or 2). The team not going first will have its chance to score and attempt the extra point. Overtime will continue until a winner is declared. If the defense intercepts the ball and returns it for a touchdown, they win the game. If they do not score, the ball will be placed at the ten for their series of downs.

All players may wear soft sole shoes, molded cleats or studded cleats. Metal spikes or baseball style spikes or metal tip studs are prohibited. No sandals or boots allowed. ***Any player caught wearing metal spikes will be ejected from the game***

Teams are encouraged to furnish their own like-colored jerseys. The first team listed on the schedule is the “home” team and should wear light color shirts. The second team listed is the “away” team and should wear dark shirts. All shirts must be tucked in. Players cannot wear towels that hang from the waist.

Players cannot wear pants or shorts that have belt loops, pockets, or an exposed drawstring.

Each player must wear a three flag belt with one flag on each hip and one in the rear. The belt must be free of knots clipped to the waistline. All players must have three flags at the beginning of play. Failure to wear a flag belt at the start of the play, if noticed by an official prior to the snap is a live ball penalty (5 yards). If a runner loses his / her flag (falls off or is pulled off) at any time the ball is dead at that point of reception or the run, unless a penalty has occurred.

If failure to wear the flag belt is noticed by the official after the play starts, the play continues with the ball becoming dead when the runner is touched between the shoulders and knees. The defense can accept the result of the play or penalize for failure to wear required equipment (5 yards).

Players must have possession of the ball before they can be legally de-flagged.

Pulling or removing a flag belt from an offensive player without the ball is a personal foul. (Penalty -personal foul 10 yards).

Tampering with the flag belt in any way to gain advantage, including tying, using foreign material or other such acts is unsportsmanlike conduct. (10 yards, loss of down and player disqualification)

Jewelry, casts or any other items deemed dangerous by the official MAY NOT BE WORN during the game. A player is subject to ejection for failure to comply after the first warning.

The dimensions of the fields have been standardized into regulation 80 yard x 40-yard playing areas with two 10-yard end zones.

There will be lines 5 yards and 10 yards from either goal line from which extra point plays will be run.

Teams and spectators must stay behind the sideline and between the 20-yard lines.
 

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NIRSA Flag Football Rules will govern play with the exceptions and/or clarifications listed below:

Kicking the Ball: A free kick shall be used only to begin the game. Unless relocated by penalty, the free kick line shall be a team’s own 20-yard line. The ball must be placed on a tee or held on the ground or a holder’s toe whose foot shall be on the ground. All players on the kicking team except the holder and kicker must be behind the free kick line. The receiving team must be behind the 40-yard line.

• Penalty: Illegal Procedure or Encroachment, 5 yards.

Recovery: There are no onside kicks. If an inbound free kick comes to rest and no one attempts to secure it, it belongs to the receiving team at that spot. If the kick touches anything on or behind the receiving teams goal line it may be downed as a touchback, or run out. (Co Rec. Males may not advance the kick more than two steps forward, they may move parallel or backwards, a female must return kicks).

• Penalty: Illegal procedure, 5 yards.

Out of bounds kick: a free kick between the goal lines that goes out of bounds without being touched by either team is a foul. Receiving team may 1. Put the ball in play where it went out or 2. Take a re-kick from 5 yards behind the previous kick. A free kick that goes out of bounds behind the goal line is a touchback and belongs to the receiving team at the 20-yard line.
The only type of blocking that is allowed is screen blocking. No contact is allowed between the offense and defense.

• Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.

The screen blocker must have his/her hands at his/her side or behind his/her back. Any use of the hands, arms, legs or body to initiate contact is illegal. The player must be on his/her feet before, during and after the screen block.

The blocker cannot take a position so close to a moving opponent that his/her opponent cannot avoid contact by stopping or changing direction. This position will vary from 1 to 2 steps depending on speed of the defensive player.

The offensive team must retrieve the ball after every play from scrimmage. The snapper will maintain control of the ball and bring the ball from the huddle to the line of scrimmage.

A touchdown shall count as six (6) points. In Co-Rec, if a female scores a touchdown, the point value is 9. If a female throws a legal forward pass in a Co-Rec game, and a player scores a touchdown, the point value is 9.

After a player scores a touchdown or try after a TD, the player must raise their arms above their head so that the nearest official can de-flag the player. If the official deems that the flag belt has been illegally fastened (tied, twisted, tucked in, etc), the player is disqualified and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty is enforced. (10 yards from the previous spot with loss of down and the score is nullified, no loss of down if it occurs after change of possession.)

After a touchdown, the scoring team attempts a PAT (point after touchdown) from the 5-yard line, worth one (1) point, or the 10-yard line, worth two (2) points. An interception can be returned for a touchdown, worth two (2) points.

A safety shall count two (2) points. Afterwards, the ball will be put in play by the scoring team at their 15-yard line.

The number of offensive players on the line of scrimmage for the start of the play must be 4 (5 for Co-Rec). Only one person may be in motion, but not towards the opponent’s goal line when the ball is snapped.

A player is deemed on the line of scrimmage when facing his/her opponent's goal line with the line of his/her shoulders approximately parallel to and with his/her head or foot breaking the plane of the imaginary line drawn through he waistline of the snapper and parallel to the scrimmage line.

The player who receives the snap must be at least 2 yards behind the offensive scrimmage line.

• PENALTY: Illegal procedure, 5 yards from previous spot

A team registers a first down when it crosses or touches one of the first down lines. Once the first down has been established, that team may not make another first down by crossing the same line during that series of downs.

All punts must be announced to the referee (there are no quick kicks):

• The kicking team must have 4 players (5 for Co-Rec.) on the line of scrimmage during a protected scrimmage kick.
• PENALTY: Illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot.
• The kicker must catch and kick the ball immediately in one continuous motion.
• PENALTY: Illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot
• Neither team may advance beyond their respective scrimmage line until the ball is kicked.
• PENALTY: Illegal procedure, 5 yards
• If the offense declares to punt, then wants to change their decision, they may do so after a charged timeout or an accepted penalty in which the down is to be replayed.
• Players may not punt barefoot.
• Punts may be returned out of the end zone.
• If the receiving team muffs a punt and is caught in the air by the kicking team, it is dead at that spot and the kicking team retains possession, first and line-to-gain. If caught in the air by the receiving team, they may advance the ball.

If a player intercepts the ball in the end zone, the player may return it out of the end zone. If the player is de-flagged while running around, it is a touchback.

A fumble is dead at the point the ball touches the ground, if fumbled backwards, or at the spot where the fumble occurred if fumbled forward. The ball goes to the team who last had possession with the resulting loss of down. A ball that has not hit the ground can be recovered and advanced by either team.

All legal players are eligible to receive a pass.

The center cannot carry the ball from scrimmage but can receive a pass.

A forward pass is illegal:

• If the passer's foot is beyond the line of scrimmage when the ball leaves the hand.
• If thrown after team possession is changed during the down.
• If more than one forward pass is made (even though the completion of the first forward pass may have been behind the line of scrimmage).
• If intentionally thrown to the ground or out of bounds to avoid a loss of yardage.
• PENALTY: 5 yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down.

One foot must land in bounds before any part of the body lands in the out-of-bounds area for a legal pass reception. One knee is equivalent.

When an official sounds his/her whistle inadvertently during a legal pass, or while a snap is in flight, or during a kick the down will be replayed.

When a player is in possession or during a backward pass, the team in possession may choose either to accept the play where it is blown dead or to replay the down.

The ball must be put in play properly and legally and any action or inaction by either team that tends to prevent this is illegal delay of game.

This includes interrupting the 25-second count for any reason, except for a time-out allowed by the referee.

Consuming more than 25 seconds in putting the ball in play after it is marked ready for play.

Deliberately advancing the ball after it has been declared dead.

• PENALTY: Delay of Game, 5 yards from the previous spot

The ball carrier shall not protect his/her flags by blocking with his/her arms or hands in order to deny the opponents the opportunity to remove them. Note: Stiff-arm is flag guarding.

• PENALTY: Flag guarding, 10 yards from the spot of the foul & replay the down OR spot of the foul & loss of down

Ineligible Receiver, An eligible receiver must be between the hash marks in order to make a legal completion

• PENALTY: 5 yards from the previous spot

 
The ball carrier must run to avoid tacklers. Deliberate charging of an opponent is against the rules. Officials will use the same judgment on charging and blocking by offensive and defensive players as in basketball. Brushing contact and unavoidable contact is not considered willful "charging."

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the spot of the foul. If the foul is intentional or unsportsmanlike, then 10 more yards will be added to the penalty and the player will be disqualified.

Pass Interference by Offense:

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the previous spot, loss of down.

Pass Interference by the Defense:

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the previous spot and an automatic first down.

A defensive player may not hold, push, or knock the ball carrier down in an attempt to remove the flag.

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the end of the run.

Holding is grasping or encircling an opponent with the hand or arm in any way that impedes his/her movement.

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the end of the run.

Tripping is using the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent (including the ball carrier) below the knees.

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the end of the run.

If a defensive player tackles the ball carrier, who, in the opinion of the referee, would have scored except for being tackled, a touchdown shall be awarded. If a defensive player reaches across the body of the ball carrier to pull the flag and contact is made, the responsibility of the contact lies with the defensive player.

• PENALTY: 10 yards from the end of the run.

NOTE: Deliberate tackles will result in disqualification.
 

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Substitution Rules: A player entering the game must inform the IM Supervisor upon entering the game.
 
Any act prohibited hereunder or any other act of unnecessary roughness is a personal foul.

1. No player shall punch, strike, strip, steal, or attempt to steal the ball from the player who has possession.
2. There shall be no tripping or clipping.
3. There shall be no contact with an opponent who is on the ground.
4. The runner shall not be thrown to the ground.
5. There shall be no hurdling. The runner jumping with both feet or knees foremost over a player or between players shall be interpreted as a hurdling attempt. (You can jump or spin away from players to avoid having your flag pulled.)
6. Unnecessary Roughness.
7. Roughing the passer (automatic first down) applies only to the player throwing a pass behind the offensive lie of scrimmage. If a defender contacts the passer in any fashion, whether or not he/she touches the ball, it is roughing the passer.

PENALTY: 10 yards from the spot of the foul. Flagrant offenders will be disqualified.