Rules 

Note: Items in red font have changed recently from previous rules

Procedures

  • The lines are out-of-bounds, so if the ball-carrier steps on a boundary line s/he has stepped out
  • The ball is spotted where the BALL is when the flag is pulled
    • The ball will be placed in the middle of the field to start every play. The ball may be moved toward the boundary by the referee if asked by the offense before the snap (play clock continues to run). The ball may not be spotted less than 10-yards from either boundary
  • Inadvertent Whistle: When a whistle is blown when it shouldn’t have been. The team with the ball may choose to replay the down or take the ball where it was blown dead and advance the down.
  • Home team wears darker color; Visitor wears lighter color
  • The ‘QB’ is the person who receives the snap from the Center; a ‘passer’ is offensive player who has the ball behind the LOS and can legally make a pass (this includes the QB)
  • If a team goes up by 35 points the game is over and the scoring ends. The coaches can decide what to do next (practice game)
  • Visiting Team Calls the toss - the winner chooses offense/defense and loser chooses direction
  • Game Time: Running time and 2-minutes for halftime
    • 20-minute halves
    • The last 1:00 of the 2nd half a stop-clock is used, meaning the clock stops for penalties, incomplete passes, out of bounds, touchdowns, extra points, and change of possession
  • Downs
    • Four downs to get to midfield for a first down and turnover on downs at spot on failed 4th down conversion
    • Three downs after first down to get a touchdown, ball is placed at opponents 5-yard line if failed 3rd down conversion
  • Rush Line
    • 4U, 5U, 6U, 7U, and 8U: No blitzing
    • 9U and above: Rushing from 7-yard rush line,
      • Rushers (2 max) must indicate via raised hand they are rushing. Even if they raise their hand, they are not REQUIRED to blitz
      •  Rush MUST be immediate by the rusher/s. NO delayed rushing permitted
  • After a touchdown the scoring team can go for a:
    • 1-Point play from the 5 YL
    • 2-Point play from the 10 YL

Once the ball is set a timeout must be used to switch

  • Each team gets three timeouts to use at any point during regular time (no timeouts in OT)
  • 4U and 5U Only:
    • Coaches are optionally allowed on the field for defense
    • Defenders MUST line up at least five yards from the line of scrimmage prior to the snap
      • The defensive 5-yard alignment cushion will be reduced to 3-yards any time the ball is spotted on or inside the 5-yard line
  • Interceptions on PATs can be returned for 2-points
  • Pockets must be taped
  • A catch is when the player secures the ball and the first body part to touch the ground does so in-bounds
  • Simultaneous possession goes to the offense (for example, if two people catch the ball)
  • The center must snap the ball between his/her legs.
  • 4th down: Once the offense declares punt they cannot change their mind; offense can change from going for it to punt only with a timeout
  • Overtime
    • Home team calls the toss - the winner chooses offense/defense and the loser chooses direction. The choice alternates with each subsequent OT period. Do not flip fields when possession flips; there are no timeouts
    • Offense chooses to go for 1-Point or 2-Points (ball spotted appropriately)
    • In the second OT both teams must go for 2-Points
    • In the third OT both teams start from their own 5 YL and each team gets one play. Whichever team gains more distance is awarded one point, and is declared the winner

Offensive PENALTIES

  • False Start
    • More than one person moving at the time of the snap
    • Any person moving forward at the time of the snap
    • Offense flinching without the ball being snapped
  • Flag Guarding [spot]
    • When the offensive player uses his/her arms in an unnatural running motion and prevents the defensive player from having clear access to his/her flags, or the jersey covers the flags
    • Excessive spinning
    • Jumping (except by the passer on a pass attempt) [Jumping is just a dead ball (no penalty)]
  • Illegal Run: When the offense runs over the LOS in the No-Run Zone
  • Delay of Game: When the offense takes longer than 30 seconds to snap the ball
    • The play clock starts after the ball is set
  • Charging [spot]: A deliberate or reckless path by the ball carrier into a defensive player
  • Illegal Forward Pass
    • When the ball does not go past the LOS in the air on a forward pass
    • When the passer passes the ball from beyond the LOS
  • Blocking/Screening [spot]: Offensive player is close to the ball carrier and impedes a defensive player
  • Pass Interference (OPI): Offensive player interferes with the defensive player’s ability to defend the pass
  • Center Sneak: When the center is the first person to receive a handoff from the QB

Defensive PENALTIES

  • Holding/Tackling [spot]: When the defender goes for anything other than the flags
    • If you see underwear, a shirt stretch, or it looks like someone’s running-in-place it’s a hold
  • Stripping [spot]: Any attempt made by the Defense on the ball when it’s secured by the offensive player
  • Illegal Rush:If someone who didn’t start behind the rush line at the snap or indicate they are a rusher and crosses the LOS while the QB has the ball
  • Pass Interference (DPI) [spot]: When the defensive player interferes with the offensive player’s ability to receive the pass, or run a route
  • Roughing the Passer: Any significant contact to the passer 
    Unsportsmanlike Conduct
    • Taunting, heckling, inappropriate language, etc.
    • If a player gives a ref a hard time throw a flag 100% of the time
    • If a coach gives a ref a hard time, issue a warning, all future times a flag.
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All players and coaches ejected from a game must be reported to the league director and are suspended the next game

Remember

  • Mouthguards are required and must be in the player’s mouth.
  • Offensive Penalties result in a loss-of-down; Defensive Penalties result in an automatic first down
  • All penalties are 5 yards, or half the distance to the goal (whichever is less) except unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct are 10 yards
  • The person who receives the snap cannot rush the ball
  • A player is down as soon as she/he doesn’t have two flags on. There is no penalty for not wearing flags; you just can’t advance the ball
  • The QB must get rid of the ball within seven seconds, and if she/he doesn’t then it’s treated as an incomplete pass (no penalty). The 7-second clock is eliminated upon a handoff.

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