Captain’s Meeting Information : Captain’s Meeting Information Flag Football
Captain’s Responsibilities : Captain’s Responsibilities Pre-Game
Captain’s Meeting with referees - Coin Toss
To defer his/her options to second half
To start on offense or defense
To defend a specific goal
On Field
Lead team by example of good sportsmanship
Make choices on penalty options
Contact IM Staff with questions/concerns
Field Markings & Dimensions : Field Markings & Dimensions
Equipment – Game Ball : Equipment – Game Ball Teams MUST provide their own ball.
The offense is responsible for the ball.
Men’s teams must use a regular size ball.
Women’s and Corec teams may use:
Regular;
Intermediate;
Youth; or
Junior size ball
Equipment – Required : Equipment – Required A player must wear:
Pants or shorts - WITHOUT Pockets
A jersey
Shoes
A flag belt
Equipment – Illegal : Equipment – Illegal Billed hats
Bandanas with knots
Pads or braces worn above the waist
Shoes with metal or ceramic cleats
Screw-in cleats when the screw is not part of the cleat
Shirts or jerseys which do not stay tucked in unless they are more than 4” from the waist Any hood which does not remain tucked in
Pants or shorts with belts or belt loops, pockets or exposed drawstrings
Exposed metal on clothes or person
Towels attached at a players waist.
Beginning the Game : Beginning the Game Team Composition
Maximum
Men’s & Women’s – 7
Coed – 8
4 men & 4 women
Minimum
Men’s & Women’s – 5
Coed – 6
3 men & 3 women
4 women & 2 men
4 men & 2 women
Player’s may substitute at any time between downs provided they are ready to play
Timing - No Show Procedure : Timing - No Show Procedure Any team not ready to play at game time shall be penalized in the following manner:
Game Time - ball and choice of goal to defend to opposing team
3 minutes - ball moved to own 39-yard line - 1st to the 40
6 minutes - ball moved to 20 and credit for penetration
9 minutes - penalized one TD and 3-point conversion (9 pts)
If game begins after 9 minutes, the team arriving late shall be given ball at their own 14-yard line, as if they had been scored upon
10 minutes - Game is declared a NO SHOW, 9-0 final score
Timing : Timing The game consists of one 20-minute half, a 5-minute half-time, and a 15-minute second half followed by a game ending 10-play series.
The clock runs continuously during both halves.
All timing is kept simultaneous on all fields by bell tones. EXCEPTION: If an injury occurs on a field, time will be kept by the referee or IM staff on-site.
Each team receives one 30-second timeout per half and one 30-second timeout during the 10-play series.
Timeouts DO NOT carryover from half to half or to the 10-play series
No timeouts shall be called in the final 5 minutes of the 1st half
Timing - 10 Play Series : Timing - 10 Play Series A tone will signify the end of the 15-minute second half and the beginning of the 10-play series
Game will continue without any interruption. Team in possession of the ball shall retain possession.
Extra points and plays in which a non-loss of down penalty occur DO NOT count towards these 10 plays.
Punts DO count toward the 10 plays.
Exception - A game cannot end with a punt on the 10th play. If a team does punt on the 10th play, the opposing team will be allowed one play from scrimmage.
If the referee misses the 15-minute tone, the 10 plays will begin as soon as the error is discovered. However, if 10 minutes elapse and the error is not discovered, the game shall be considered over even though the 10 plays were not played.
Zone Line-to-Gain and New Series : Zone Line-to-Gain and New Series The offensive team has 4 consecutive downs to advance the ball across the next zone line-to-gain.
A new series is awarded:
to the offense if the line-to-gain is reached or a penalty which carries an automatic first down is accepted,
to the defense if the offense fails to reach the line-to-gain after four consecutive downs, or
to either team if a change of possession or a kick occurs during the down.
Scoring – Touchdown : Scoring – Touchdown A team scores a touchdown when one of their players is in possession of the ball in their opponent’s end zone.
In Coed games, if a female player crosses the goal line with possession of the ball or throws a legal forward pass and a touchdown is scored by any Team A player, prior to a change of possession, it is worth 9 points.
All other touchdowns are worth 6 points.
Scoring – Tries : Scoring – Tries After a touchdown, the scoring team may elect to try for:
1 point from the 3-yard line;
2 points from the 10-yard line; or
3 points from the 20-yard line.
If the defense gains possession during the try and scores what would normally be a touchdown, they are awarded 3 points.
Following a try, the opponents of the team which scored the touchdown will get the ball at their 14-yard line.
Scoring – Penetrations : Scoring – Penetrations Only used to break ties in games if the scored is tied at the end of the 10-play series during regular season games.
A penetration shall be scored when a ball is dead and legally in possession of a team on or beyond the opponent’s 20-yard line.
A live ball penalty bringing the ball back outside the 20-yard line does not count as a penetration since the ball was not legally dead inside the 20-yard line.
Only one penetration can be scored per possession.
During playoffs, penetrations will not be counted to break ties. All tied games will play overtime.
Scoring – Safety : Scoring – Safety A safety counts two points, and one point on the try.
A safety occurs:
when a team is responsible for the ball being in their own end zone and it becomes dead there,
when a penalty against the offense is accepted and the enforcement spot is from their own end zone.
The team which scored a safety will get the ball at their 14-yard line.
Scoring – Touchback : Scoring – Touchback When a team is responsible for the ball being in their opponent’s end zone, it is a touchback when the ball becomes dead there.
No points are awarded for a touchback.
The team which was awarded a touchback will get the ball at their 14-yard line.
Scoring – Mercy Rule : Scoring – Mercy Rule If at the start of or any time during the 10-play series . . .
the point differential is 19 or more points in a men’s or women’s game, or
the point differential is 25 or more points in a coed game,
…the game is immediately ended.
Line of Scrimmage Requirements : Line of Scrimmage Requirements No player may be in the neutral zone before the snap.
The offense must have 4 (Coed – 5) players on the line of scrimmage at the snap.
The snap receiver must be at least two yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Only one offensive player may be in motion at the snap and it may not be forward.
The snap must be one continuous motion.
Running the Ball : Running the Ball Any player may hand the ball in any direction at any time.
The runner may not ward off defensive players with his/her hand or arm.
The runner may not place the ball over the flag belt.
The defensive team may not use his/her hands to push, pull or hold the runner.
A defensive player may take a position in the runner’s path provided the defense does not initiate contact.
Passing the Ball : Passing the Ball Any player may pass the ball backward at any time.
The offensive team is permitted to throw one forward pass during a down provided:
the pass is thrown from behind the offensive team’s scrimmage line, and
it is thrown before a change of possession.
Passing the Ball : Passing the Ball To make a legal catch, a player must have possession of the ball and land inbounds with at least one foot.
Pass interference by:
the offense, results in a 10 yard penalty and a loss of down.
the defense, results in a 10 yard penalty and an automatic first down.
Downing the Runner : Downing the Runner The runner is down when an opponent removes his/her flag belt.
If his/her belt is all ready off, the runner is down when an opponent delivers a one hand tag between the runner’s shoulders and knees.
A runner is also down when any part of his/her body, other than hand or foot, touches the ground.
Inadvertent Whistle : Inadvertent Whistle Play is dead at the time the whistle is blown.
If inadvertent whistle is blown during a pass or kick (loose ball, not in player possession) the play is automatically replayed from the previous spot.
If inadvertent whistle blown while the ball is in player possession, the team in possession has option of taking result of play at the spot of where it was blown dead OR replay the down from the previous spot.
Screen Blocking : Screen Blocking Either team may obstruct an opponent by getting into his/her path.
If contact occurs, the player who initiated the contact shall be guilty of illegal contact provided his/her opponent took a position which was initially legal and legally moved to maintain it.
Fumbles : Fumbles If a fumble or backward pass strikes the ground, it is dead and belongs to the fumbling/passing team at the spot it struck the ground.
The offensive team may not bat a backward pass forward.
Punting the Ball : Punting the Ball A punt is only legal when it has been declared.
usually on 4th down.
the offensive captain may request to punt on any down.
Neither team may cross their scrimmage line until the ball is kicked.
A punt which strikes the ground is live unless it has been touched by either team.
The receiving team may run a punt out of the end zone.
Coed Differences : Coed Differences An offensive male runner may not run the ball through the offensive team’s scrimmage line. This restriction ends:
after the ball has been beyond the offense’s scrimmage line,
during a female player’s run, or
after a change of possession.
Coed Differences : Coed Differences If a play is “open,” any player may complete a legal forward pass to any other player.
If a play is “closed,” a female player must either throw or catch a legal forward pass and the play must gain positive yards.
There may not be two consecutive male-to-male completions.
If a female passer completes a pass to a male player behind the line and he runs through the offense’s scrimmage line, it is an illegal forward pass.
Penalty Enforcement Terms : Penalty Enforcement Terms Dead-ball Foul
A foul which occurs between the end of the previous play and the start of the next play.
Any unsportsmanlike or nonplayer foul which occurs at any time.
Live-ball Foul
A foul which occurs between the snap and the end of the play and is not an unsportsmanlike conduct or nonplayer foul.
Penalty Enforcement : Penalty Enforcement Dead-ball & Live-ball fouls cannot be combined to offset each other.
Dead-ball Fouls
Are enforced in the order of occurrence.
Live-ball Fouls
No team may accept more than one live-ball foul committed by an opponent.
If each team commits one or more live-ball foul, the penalties offset.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct : Unsportsmanlike Conduct If a player commits 2 unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, he/she shall be disqualified.
If a team commits 3 unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, the game shall be forfeited to the opponents.
Captain’s Meeting Information : Captain’s Meeting Information Flag Football - QUESTIONS?