Flag Football
Intramural Flag Football: Official Rules & Procedures
Procedures for No Shows or late arrival:
Procedures for No Shows or Not Enough Players:
- Your record will determine who qualifies for the Championship playoffs. Only teams that are consistent in attendence will qualify. Others will be in the Consolation Playoff.
- If a team does not show for their game, the team that does show will receive a win in their won/loss record. The no show team will receive a loss. If a team lets me know in advance, they will get a no record for that week.
- If a team is there, but without enough players, they will start the game behind by 7 points, after the first 10 minutes they are late. Then an additional 7 points for every 5 minutes additional that they are late. After 20 minutes, the game is forfeited with the win going to the team with enough players. Even if players show after 20 minutes and the game is started, it will be a forfeit.
- If both teams are short players, the above late show procedure will start when one team gets enough players. If both teams remain short of players, the game will be a forfeited after 20 minutes with both teams receiving no record for that week.
- Games that don’t start due to a shortage of players will be reduced in length to cover the late start. With a late start, the 10 minutes half time can be shortened or eliminated as needed to allow more play time in a shortened game. This decision will be made by the IM Staff in charge with consideration going to the wishes of the team that had enough players.
Rules:
Players:
- The official entry form allows for ten players total on a team.
- More than 10 players may be on a roster and additional players may be added at anytime by sending their name and ID# to Intramurals@pacificu.ed.
- Once players have been selected and game schedule begins the official roster cannot be changed without the approval of the Intramural Director.
Flag Football Belts:
- Each player on the field must wear a flag belt at all times.
- Each flag belt must have all of it’s flags
- Flag belts must be worn on the outside of the shirt—the shirt may not hang over the belt.
Timeouts:
- Each team will be give two thirty second timeouts per half
- Timeouts do not accumulate. If a team does not use it’s timeouts during the first half they will not allowed to use them during the second half.
Penalties:
Holding, illegal use of the hands in blocking, unnecessary roughness, forward laterals, clipping (illegal push to the back), pass interference, off-sides, false starts, delay of game (last two minutes of second half during the ten count), illegal flag belt, and exceeding limit of players on field. All penalties result as a loss of down.
Procedure:
Players:
- Only five players on the offensive or defensive side are allowed on the field at a time.
- There is only one quarterback and four eligible receivers on the offence.
Substitutions:
- Substitutions may be made in the time allotted between plays—all five players may be replaced at the team’s discretion.
- Substitutions may not be made just prior to the snap of the ball or during play.
Time:
- Each game is composed of two twenty minute halves with a ten minute half time.
- The clock will continuously run during the first half, only stopping for timeouts.
- The clock will also run continuously for the first eighteen minutes of the second half, stopping for timeouts until the last two minutes of play.
- Clock will stop for the two minute warning
- After the two minute warning, the clock will stop for: timeouts, first downs, incomplete passes, and out of bounds plays.
- If the clock continues to run and the play does not warrant a stopped clock the referee will set the ball and the team in possession will have until the count of ten to snap the ball. If ball has not been snapped by the ten of count a penalty of “loss of down” will be given.
To Begin:
Determining Possession:
- Each team’s captain will meet with the referee and using rock-paper-scissors will determine who will receive possession of the ball and which team will begin on defense.
- The team that loses rock-paper-scissors will choose which goal to defend.
- The team that does not receive possession in first half will in turn receive possession to begin the second half.
During Game:
Possession:
- The team that has possession will start on its own goal line.
- A first down is obtained when the ball clearly crosses a line or cone.
- The teams will have four downs to cross a cone or line.
- If a team does not get a first down after four plays possession will be given to opposing team.
- If a defensive pass interference has been made the ball will then be moved to the next first down line and a first down will be called.
- If an interception is made and the player is not wearing a flag belt the interception will count but the change in possesion will take place at the point of the interception, without any runback allowed.
- If change of possession occurs on a team’s own half of the field (e.g. the offensive team does not make it to the fifty yard line before changing possession after the fourth down) the other team will receive possession at the fifty yard line.
- If change of possession occurs on the defending team’s half of the field (e.g. the offensive team makes it to the fifty yard line or past) the other team will receive possession of the ball at the site of the fourth down.
Passing:
- When the ball is snapped the referee will count from one to five; during which time the defense is not allowed to rush the quarterback.
- If the ball has not been thrown by the time the referee has counted to five the play will be whistled dead and it will be counted as a down.
Running/Blocking:
- The quarterback is allowed to hand off the ball, but is not allowed to run himself, unless another player has touched the ball, and a legal lateral has been made back.
- Blocking is allowed, but not push blocking
- In order to block a player must have his arms crossed over his chest.
- If a player is seen performing an illegal block, or blocking with his elbows while his arms are in a legal blocking position the play will be called dead and be called back to the original line of scrimmage and a loss of down will be incurred.
- If the penalty occurs on a third down, the possession of ball will change.
Field & Equipment:
- The field is set up with twenty yard marking cones or lines
- There is a goal line, three subsequent cones or lines every twenty yards, and another goal line.
- The end zone is ten yards long at each goal line.
- Footballs will be provided by the Intramural’s staff, but if a team would like to use their own ball it will be held by referee and given on change of possession.