- The playing field is approximately 60 yards long with marked
end zones. First down lines will be marked with cones,
approximately every 15 yards. A team must cross a first down
line in their four downs to continue. On fourth down a team may
go for it or punt, and by punting will move the opposing team
from the current spot on the field to the first down marker
outside their end zone. No live kicks.
*In the event of a turnover, the benefiting team will be rewarded
with a first down at the FIRST orange cone that they come to in
progression toward their goal, regardless of the distance to this
marker from the site of the turnover.
- Teams will play 5 on 5. You may
not start a game with less than 4 players. Teams may fall below
5 players after the start of the game, due to injury or
otherwise.
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Equipment: No article of clothing may cover the
flag . Shirts must be tucked under the flag belt. Teams must wear
provided scrimmage shirts at the discretion of the referee.
Footballs, flags and cones may not leave the field, and will be
checked in and out by intramural commissioners.
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Rubber cleats or sneakers only.
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Captains should brief their team on the proper
way to wear the flag belt. The belt must be positioned so that the
flags are hanging off the rear of the hips. Flags may not be wrapped
around belts. Captains may ask that the belts of any
player be checked if it appears the belt is not on properly. Wrapping the flag around the belt is an exception in
that no warning will be granted, a penalty will be assessed, and the
player will have to leave the field for a minimum of one down with
no substitution until the belt is fixed.
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Players are not permitted to wear pads or any
protective equipment on arms. No protective headgear. Mouthpieces
are permitted.
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No one with a cast on any body part will be
permitted to play.
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Blocking on the line is NOT permitted.
No
shoving, holding, or hands to the head or body.
THIS IS NOT A CONTACT SPORT
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On offense, all four players are eligible to
receive.
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Three offensive players must be on the line of
scrimmage at the snap.
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A player is considered down at the place where the flag is
removed. If you remove a flag from an opposing player, stand
still and hold the flag above your head to aid the correct
spotting. Throwing flag down, while making you look very cool,
is not helpful.
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If a player catches a ball while being down a
flag because it fell off accidentally, the ball will be considered
down where it was caught. If a flag is pulled before a receiver
catches the ball, the play is live, and the receiver may advance
with one flag.
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There is a three-second count when rushing the quarterback.
Players may not go over the line of scrimmage before the count.
Count must be voiced aloud by the player(s) if a rush is going
to be conducted. Quarterbacks may not run until the
defense has encroached and/or has declared a blitz by crossing the
line of scrimmage prior to the conclusion of the 3 second count.
Defense may blitz once every 4 downs.
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There are no kickoffs or punts. The team winning
the coin toss can elect to start with the ball at their 15, or
defend the ball at their opponents' 15. Whatever occurs in the first
half will be reversed in the second half.
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If a team has a fourth down situation they may elect to
"punt" and the ball will be placed on the opposing teams'
initial first-down yard line, with that team becoming the offense. If a punt is not
declared, failure to complete a first down will result in the
defense taking over the ball at the current spot.
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The game length will be two (2) twenty minute
halves with running time throughout. No timeouts. Huddles may last a
maximum of 30 seconds.
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All fumbled balls which contact the ground in
front of the line of scrimmage will be called dead at the spot at
which the fumble occurred. The offense automatically recovers. A
fumbled ball which does not touch the ground may be advanced. If the
offensive team fumbles the ball in their own end-zone, and it
touches the ground a safety will be called. The defensive team is
awarded 2 points and the ball at their 15 yard line.
If the ball is fumbled behind the line of scrimmage, the quarterback
only, or whomever committed the fumble in the case of a hand-off or
lateral behind the line, may pick up the ball and advance. In such
cases the defense may defend the quarterback (or other offensive
player) after the 3 second count as if the quarterback had the ball.
In other words, the quarterback's (or lateral/handoff receiver's)
flag may be pulled behind the line of scrimmage even if he does not
have possession of the ball due to a fumble.
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A player must be on their feet before and during
a legal pick. Any use of shoulders, elbows, legs or body to
initiate contact is illegal when trying to screen. No
excessive force.
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Flag guarding is not permitted. Offensive
players may not run in such a way that the hand or any part of the
arms are covering the flag. Players running with the football are
not allowed to use straight arm tactics to avoid a flag pull. A
natural running motion must be used at all times.
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Scoring- Touchdown 7 points. No PAT.
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A player must have at least one whole foot
inbounds, that is with no part of the foot outside the line, for the catch to be declared legal.
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The defense may not hit, swat or strip the ball
from a carrier. All defensive pursuit must be toward the flag.
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In an attempt to capture the flag, a defensive
player may make incidental contact with the shoulder and body of a
running player, but never the head or neck. A defensive player may
not hold, push, or knock the ball carrier down in an attempt to
retrieve the flag. ANY and ALL tackles will be penalized by a 15
yard penalty and possibly ejection. The defensive player may not
obstruct the forward progress of a ball carrier at any point.
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Helping a ball carrier through pushing, lifting or
contact is prohibited.
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Defensive players must go around a screen block.
No holding, tackling, aggressive pushing, or other use of hands or
arms.
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Any contact inconsistent with screen blocking
will be penalized. All screen blocks must have a natural running
motion or hands straight at sides.