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INTRAMURAL FLAG FOOTBALL WILL BE GOVERNED BY FEDERATION RULES WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS:

General Items

- Metal cleats are NOT allowed...Mouth pieces are highly recommended...Baseball caps may NOT be worn.
- Each player must wear a one piece belt at the waistline with three flags attached permanently (a flag should hang from each hip and in the back). Should a player’s flag inadvertantly fall off during a play, the ball will be considered dead when he is first touched between the shoulders and knees after his flag fell off.
- Shirts must be long enough so they remain tucked in during the down or short enough so they are 4" above the player’s waistline. If a player begins a play with his shirt untucked, a penalty will be enforced from the line of scrimmage. (4 yds.) This is the sole judgement of the official.
- The Field is 40 yds. by 80 yds. consisting of two 8 yd. endzones with four 16 yd. zones.
- The winner of the toss shall have choice of goals or possession...the loser decides on the remaining option.
- These choices are reversed in the 2nd half.
- The game shall consist of 2-25 minute halves (2-20 minute halves for women's play) with running clock and five minute halftimes. The clock will stop after all touchdowns (The clock does not run during an extra point attempt). During the last two minutes of the second half, the clock will be stop on all dead balls (i.e. penalties, incomplete passes, out-of-bounds, a fumble that hits the ground, a fair catch on punts, and change of possession.)
- Time-outs shall be limited to three per game...one minute in duration.
- Seven players on the field constitute a complete team (game can be played with a minimum of five).
- Touchdowns= 6 pts. Conversions=1 pt. from the first hash mark....2pts. from the second...Safetys=2 pts
- The defense may return an interception on an extra point...if they score they will receive the equal value of points for which the offense was attempting.

Offense

- The ball shall be placed on the first zone line to start the game and to resume play after a touchdown
- When the ball is first down in a zone, the team with possession has four downs to advance the ball into the next zone.
- The offense must have four players on the line of scrimmage.
- The offense will have 25 seconds to put the ball in play once it has be spotted by the official.
- The center is ineligible to receive a pass...everyone else is eligible!!
- The snap of the ball must be one quick and continuous motion.
- A ball carrier may not dive for yardage.
- The ball is dead when a fumble hits the ground or when the ball carrier’s knee hits the ground.
- The receiver must have one foot in-bounds and control of the ball for a legal reception.
- Teams do not have to huddle, but if the team calls a huddle, all players for that play must be in the huddle.
- Sleeper plays and Center sneaks are not allowed!!!
- Blocking must be above the waist and below the shoulders, executed using open hands, and made within the peripheal view of the defender (i.e. not in the back). At no time may a block be made by lowering the shoulder or using the forearms/elbows. A player may not leave his feet to make a block. Any block made to the head of an opponent is a 12 yd. penalty and is grounds for ejection from the game.


Punts

- Punts must be announced to the officials and the opponent.
- Neither team may cross the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.
- The team receiving the punt must have at least four people on the line of scrimmage at the time of a punt.
- The kicking team may not interfere with the catch of a punt (two yard no-entry zone around the receiver)
- Punts may be returned by the receiver after the ball hits the ground.
- If the receiver fumbles the ball (i.e. touches the receiver and then the ground), the ball is dead.
- When the ball comes to a stop after a punt, the ball is dead and cannot be advanced.
- The team receiving the punt may only block at the line of scrimmage...No downfield blocking on punts!!!!
- A forward pass is permitted on all punt returns if the receiver has not taken more than three (3) steps. If the ball carrier makes a pass after taking more than three steps, the ball is down at that point. If the attempted pass is incomplete, the ball is down at the point from which it was thrown.


Inadvertant Whistle

- If an inadvertant whistle sounds, the ball becomes dead immediately. The team in possession of the ball when the whistle blew shall have the option to: 1.) Replay the down, or 2.) Accept the play and count the down.
- If the whistle inadvertantly sounds during a legal forward pass or kick, the down will be played over.

Overtime Policy
- A coin toss will be used to determine possession.
- Direction will be determined by the officials. The entire overtime period will be played facing the same goal.
- The ball will be placed on the first zone line and the offensive team will have four downs to score. At the end of the 4 downs or after a score, whichever comes first, the process will be repeated with the opponent. If a team scores, they will have opportunity to try for conversion (1 or 2 pts.) The process will be repeated until one team scores more than their opponent.
- In the event of a turnover, all remaining downs will be forfeited...the defense may not score on a turnover.
- All penalties will be in full effect.


Important

- The grabbing of a ball carrier’s clothing by the defense will result in a penalty added onto the end of the play. (4 yds. and down over)
- The attempt to push or physically drive a ball carrier out of bounds will result in a penalty added onto the end of the play. (4 yds. and down over)
- The ball carrier may not stiff arm a defender or shield his flag...penalty will be enforced from the spot of the foul. (4 yds. and loss of down)
- It is the responsibility of the ball carrier to avoid contacting a stationary defender. Any attempt by the ball carrier to run into, over, or through a defender will result in a penalty from the line of scrimmage (4 yds.)


Summary of Penalties (all are enforced from the line of scrimmage unless otherwise noted)


Four Yard Penalties:

- Delay of game, Illegal Motion, Offsides, False Start
- Too many players on the field
- Player with untucked shirt at the start of a play
- Less than 4 offensive players on the line of scrimmage
- Less than 4 defensive players on the line of scrimmage on a punt
- A Ball Carrier running into, over, or through a defender
- A Ball Carrier diving for yardage
- Illegal forward pass (loss of down)
- Intentional Grounding (loss of down & marked from the spot of the infraction)
- Grabbing a ball carriers clothing to gain an advantage (marked from then end of the play)
- Attempt to push a ball carrier out of bounds (marked from then end of the play)
- Stiff-arming or Flag guarding by the ball carrier (loss of down & marked from the spot of the infraction)

Eight Yard Penalties:

- Illegal Block, Clipping, Holding, or Tackling
- Failure to announce a punt
- Interfering with a punt receiver
- Offensive pass interference
- Defensive pass interference (automatic first down & marked at the spot of the infraction)
- Roughing the passer (automatic first down)
- Downfield blocking on a punt (marked from the spot of the infraction)

Twelve Yard Penalties (Possible Ejection):

- Any block made below the waist or above the shoulders
- Unnecessary Roughness or Unsportsmanlike Conduct

**Penalties are 4, 8, & 12 yds. because of the size of our field... they replace traditional 5, 10, & 15 yard penalties.