Flag Football Rules

BASIC RULES

  • Interscholastic official football guide rules apply with the exceptions listed below. 

PLAYERS

  • Eight (8) players per team on the field; must be in 8th grade or below at the start of the season. 
  • A player cannot turn 15 years old before October 1st and play. 
  • Homeschoolers cannot turn 14 years old before October 1st. 

UNIFORMS

  • Athletic shoes or rubber‐cleated shoes with solid sole and cleats in one piece. 
  • Uniforms worn as a team should be of similar style and color. 
  • Shirts are to be tucked in at all times.
  • Sweatpants may be worn with shorts over them.
  • Bare or stocking feet, surface padding, helmets, jewelry, half shirts, and cutoffs ARE PROHIBITED.
  • Players without uniform will not be allowed to compete. Each uniform must have a different number. If both coaches agree, in non‐playoff scenarios the game can proceed with uniform exceptions. 

FLAGS

  • Flag football belts and flags with attachments at the hips are required.
  • Flags must be at least twelve inches in length.
  • The official league flags are unaltered Hungdao flags.
  • Referees should not allow ball carriers to run with flags in front or back.
  • Flags cannot match the shorts in color.
  • No doctoring of the flag in any way is permitted. 

BALL

  • Youth‐sized (12 to 14 years old) footballs are to be used. TDY 1714 (Not Junior) 

TEAM COLORS

When jerseys are alike in color, the home team should make the necessary adjustments.

  • Ineligible lineman must wear pennys. 

FIELD MARKINGS

  • The home team is responsible for marking the field and placing down lines every twenty (20) yards. Field dimensions are 100 yards by 40 yards with 10‐yard end zones.
  • Outside boundaries, goal lines, and, if possible, the two 20‐yard lines and the 40‐yard line will be marked by either chalking/painting the field, or with the use of cones.
  • Pylons will be set at the back of the end zone, the goal line, 20‐yard lines and the 40‐yard line on both sides of the field. 

SCORING

Scoring is as follows:

  • Touchdown 6 points
  • 2‐yard Extra Point 1 point
  • 5‐yard Extra Point 2 points
  • Safety 2 points 

GAME TIME

  • There will be four 10‐minute quarters with a running clock.
  • The clock stops after all touchdowns and starts again on the ensuing kickoff. The extra point attempt is untimed.
  • The clock stops at the two‐minute mark for each half.
  • At two minutes there is an official timeout lasting one minute.
  • Following the 2‐minute warning, the clock will stop for incomplete passes, out of bounds, penalties, first downs and the referees signal.
  • MERCY: Suspend running clock during the 4th quarter if one team is down by more than 28 points.
  • One referee will keep the official time on the field. The other referee will keep the official score.
  • Five minute rest period at halftime.
  • Each team permitted five (5) time‐outs of one minute each.
  • Two timeouts may be used in the first half and three timeouts in the second half (no carry overs).
  • The head coach can ask the referee for the time at any time. 

KICK‐OFFS

  • Ball is kicked from the 35‐yard line.
  • A kickoff that goes out of bounds is a penalty with the ball being placed at the opposing 35‐yard line.
  • Under no circumstances will the kicking team retain possession.
  • There are no holders on kickoffs.
  • The kickoff return team must have five players on the 35‐yard line.
  • On all kicks, if the receiving team touches the ball and the ball hits the ground without being caught, the ball is dead where it hits the ground.
  • The ball is automatically dead on kickoffs and punts when it enters into the end zone area whether in the air or on the ground.
  • The ball will be brought out to the 20‐yard line. 

PUNTS

  • All punts are freeze punts and must be announced to the opposing team before the play.
  • Officials must give receiving team time to set up.
  • Five defensive players must be on the line of scrimmage.
  • The ball must be punted within seven (7) seconds of the official’s whistle. 

FUMBLES

  • Fumbles are automatically dead ball, including snaps.
  • The ball is placed at the spot where a fumble occurred.
  • Any player who jumps to recover a fumbled ball will receive a five‐yard penalty. 

HUDDLE TIME

  • The offensive team has 35 seconds following the referee’s ready whistle to snap the ball or a delay‐of‐game penalty will result. 

LINE

  • There must be five players on the line and three in the backfield.
  • Players off the line are eligible receivers
  • The most outside players on the line of scrimmage are eligible receivers. 

INADVERTENT WHISTLE

  • Play is stopped and the ball is placed where it was at time of whistle.
  • If the play, in the judgment of the referee, would have resulted in a score, the score will be allowed. Penalties are still enforced either at the placement of ball, the line of scrimmage or the spot of the infraction.
  • Inadvertent whistle does not return an offensive gain to line of scrimmage.
  • The offense may choose to take the yardage gained or replay the down. 

SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Unlimited substitutions are granted. 
  • Subs must enter and leave the field on their sideline during a dead ball. 

BASIC CONCEPTS

  • Quarterback must take at least one step laterally or backward before attempting a direct run up the middle.
  • Every effort should be made to train players to play with speed, quickness, and body deception that does not involve heavy body contact.
  • Ball carriers should try to avoid opponents.
  • No running through or over opponents.
  • Defensive players should be trained to go for the flags without heavy body contact and lunging and diving for flags.
  • Blockers should strive to avoid heavy contact in blocking. No forearm blasts or tripping.
  • A score is made if the ball crosses the goal line prior to the flag being pulled. 

CHARGING OR TACKLING

  • The ball carrier may not “run through” a defensive player, but must try to avoid contact. The defensive player must not deliberately stop the ball carrier by a tackle or push, but must establish defensive position first and then go for the ball carrier’s flag (similar to charging in basketball).
  • The referee should seek to make judgment for the safety of players.
  • No charging, tripping, or trucking. 

“DOWNING” A BALL CARRIER

  • Players should hold flags high for the referee when they pull the flag from a runner.
  • It is illegal for a ball carrier to defend his flag in anyway (with his hands, arm, straight arm, etc.)
  • Ball carriers may pivot, but the arms must be kept above the waist and clear of the flags when near a defensive player.
  • A player that inadvertently loses a flag is live unless downed by a defensive player using a one-hand touch. 

BLOCKING

  • From a two‐point stance (without hands on the ground) offense can make contact with open hands within the framework of the players shoulders, and maintain position throughout play.
  • There must be at least a twelve inch gap between blockers on the line. There is no forearm swinging, elbowing, or tripping.
  • No lunging or cut blocks (blocking below the waist).
  • No driving with locked elbows or "shoving" an opponent.
  • No holding.
  • Defense cannot make contact with the center until his face is up. Defensive players lined up over the center must be 2 yards off the line. 

PASSING

  • The flag must be pulled before the ball leaves the passer’s hand to stop the play.
  • Arm in motion is not enough to say that the pass is away.
  • Defensive players may go for the passer’s flag or try to block the pass, but if they hit the passer’s arm it is a penalty of 10‐yard and an automatic first down. 

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

  • See the Unsportsmanlike Conduct page under Rules.

OVERTIME

  • A coin toss will determine which team will start with the ball. 
  • The team winning the coin toss may defer the ball to the other team. 
  • The first team with the ball can choose to go for a one‐point conversion from the 2‐yard line or a two‐point from the 5‐yard line. This team will have one offensive play to score. 
  • The second team will then have an opportunity to go for a one or two‐point conversion. 
  • In the second overtime and each subsequent overtime, the team that starts with the ball alternates. 
  • If the score remains tied after three overtimes, each team must go for a two‐point conversion.

PENALTIES

Ten-Yard Penalties

  • Unsportsmanlike conduct (coach/players/parents) Includes the use of bad language. Penalty includes loss of down.
    • Unnecessary roughness.
    • Tackling a runner.
  • Running through or trucking a defensive player in defensive position.
  • Withdrawing a flag prior to a person receiving the ball. Flag guarding.
  • Excessive defensive contact (including hitting, jabbing, tripping, pushing, pushing in the back etc.)
  • Illegal use of the flags (wrapping or not angled out).
  • Shoving the blocker (a ball carrier may not push/shove their own blocker).
  • Failure to return to within 10‐15 yards of the ball before the next play (by the offense).
  • Hurdling. 
    • No hurdling over players
    • Ball carriers cannot leave the ground to gain an advantage.
    • Defensive players cannot hurdle blockers.
  • Illegal blocking (flying or rolling blocks, cut blocks, clipping, holding, blocks to the back, extending of the hands, shoving, or unnecessary and extremely rough blocking).
  • Piling on a loose ball or piling on another player.
  • Pass interference. (No face guarding)
  • Roughing the passer (10‐yard penalty and an automatic 1st down)
    • Blind side hit.
    • Attacking the throwing arm while in motion 
  • Trucking the center (running over the center when his head is down) 

Five-Yard Penalties

  • Too many players on the field.
  • Two men in motion at the same time
  • Illegal procedure.
  • Man in motion toward the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap.
  • Illegal receiver down field.
  • Less than five players on the offensive line.
  • Delay of game.
  • Illegal stance. (No players in a 3 point or 4 point stance.)
  • Not tucking shirt in after warning.
  • Equipment procedure.
  • Illegal flags
  • No mouthpiece
  • Encroachment (Defense must line up one (1) yard from the line of scrimmage unless a player is over the center in which case he must be two (2) yards off the line of scrimmage.)