Rules and Regulations

 

 

1.                  To be eligible to participate in the Intramural Flag Football League, you must be a current student or employee of Saint Peter’s College. Alumni are also permitted to play. Each team is allowed only one alumnus/alumna.

2.                  Anyone who has participated on the Varsity Football Team during the 2005 season is not permitted to play in the flag football league. This includes all individuals who have quit the team at some point throughout the season.

3.                  Team captains are responsible for the eligibility of all players on their rosters. If an ineligible individual participates on a team, all of that team’s games will be forfeited.

4.                  A player must play in at least one regular season game to be eligible for post-season play.

5.                  Each individual is only permitted to play for one team. Whatever team he/she plays for first will be he/she’s team for the entire season. The only way a player may join a second team is if his/her squad forfeits out of the league.

 

 

1.                  SPC flag football consists of six players per side. In co-rec games, a minimum of two females must be on the field for every play.

2.                  A team must have a minimum of five players, including two females, at the start of any game in order to avoid forfeit. If a team cannot successfully field a team by ten minutes past the scheduled game start time, a forfeit will be declared.

3.                  Each team must declare a field captain for each game. The captain will be the only person that officials will discuss rulings with during the game. The field captain must be a player who is participating in the contest. Complaining about a call shall not be considered “discussing a rule” and will result in an unsportsmanlike penalty.

4.                  Each team will be issued flag belts prior to the start of each game. All players must keep their shirt tucked into their shorts/sweats at all times. Refusal to keep a shirt untucked will result in a flag guarding penalty. Players are not permitted to wear a cap with a bill.

 

 

1.                  All games will be played in the Bubble on the fourth floor of the RLC. 

2.                  All markings on the field or along the sidelines will be clearly indicated with cones or other markings.

3.                  All individuals must remain on the sideline opposite the scorekeeper during their games.     

4.                  Nobody may throw a football anywhere in the Bubble while a game is being played. Disobeying this rule may result in expulsion from the Bubble for the entire evening.

 

 

1.                  Each game will be divided into two halves of twenty minutes each. There will be a five minute intermission between halves.

2.                  Prior to the start of each game, the referee will conduct a coin toss with the two captains. The captain that wins the toss may choose to play offense or defense first, or he/she may select the end of the field he wishes to defend in the first half. The captain who loses the toss shall make the other selection. The team that wins the toss may not defer its choice to the second half. The team that begins on offense in the first half will begin on defense in the second half.

3.                  The first half of play will be running time. The clock will be stopped during this span only for a team time-out or an official’s time-out.

4.                  Two Minute Warning: During the first dead ball period with two minutes or less remaining in the second half, the Referee shall stop the clock and signal the two minute warning. Time will resume after the next snap, and will continue to stop as per the rules of football until the end of the game.

5.                  Overtime: During the regular season, games ending in a tie score shall be recorded as such in the standings. During the playoffs, if a game is tied at the end of regulation, the format to decide the contest will be the following: each team will be given one possession from the twenty yards outside the end zone. Each team will receive one series of downs in which to score. If a team scores a touchdown, they will also receive a PAT attempt. The team that scores the most points during the series of downs will be declared the winner. If teams score the same number of points (or none at all) a second series of downs shall be awarded, and son on until the tie is broken. A coin toss will be held at the beginning of the first overtime period, and the winner shall have the option of playing offense first or defense first.

6.                  Play clock: Each team shall have twenty-five seconds from the time the ball is made ready (marked by the sounding of the referee’s whistle and the “ready to play” signal) to snap the ball and run a play. Any violation of this rule shall be considered delay of the game. The ball shall be ready when the ball spotters are placed, as retrieving the ball is the sole responsibility of the offense.

 

 

1.                  Points will be awarded for the following scores:

·        Six points for a touchdown scored by a male player

·        Eight points for a touchdown scored or thrown by a female player

·        One point or Two points for conversions after touchdowns

·        Two points for any safety

2.                  At the start of each half and following all scores, the offensive team will take possession at their own twenty yard line.

3.                  On the fourth down, the offensive team has two options. They may either attempt to gain a first down or to relinquish possession (“punt”). Should they choose to relinquish possession, the defense will automatically gain possession on their own twenty yard line.

 

 

1.                  On offense each team has a quarterback and five eligible receivers. All players must begin at the line of scrimmage, delineated by the gold marker disc. Motion is permitted, provided all players are set for at least one second before the ball is “snapped”.

2.                  On defense, each team plays with one defensive lineman and five defensive backs. The lineman is the only player eligible to rush the quarterback, with the exception of situations outlined below, and must be lined up on the defensive side of the neutral zone. The defensive backs may either line up at the line of scrimmage or anywhere in the defensive end of the field. “Zone” defenses are permissible as long as the lineman is lined up in the proper position. Defensive backs may not make contact with the receivers coming off the line if scrimmage.

3.                  At the start of each play of scrimmage, the quarterback will line up with the ball at the line of scrimmage. To begin the play, the quarterback must clearly snap the ball by signaling hike (or any other audible signal). At this point, the line judge will begin a mental count of three seconds. Upon reaching the three seconds, the line judge will give a short blast on his whistle to indicate that the lineman may not rush the quarterback. The lineman may also elect not to rush, but rather to fall back into coverage or perform a “delayed rush”.

4.                  All plays in flag football are passing plays. No one with the ball may run past the line of scrimmage. 

5.                  The quarterback may lateral to a teammate who steps behind the line of scrimmage. The player who catches the lateral now becomes the quarterback and the former quarterback is an eligible receiver. The new quarterback cannot run the ball. In the case of a lateral, the defensive lineman need not wait for the rush whistle and the defense may rush additional players.

 

 

1.                  The field is divided into three first down zones. These zones are permanent and do not move with the location of the ball. The offensive team receives four downs in which to cross the first down line.

 

 

1.                  Deflagging a Player

·        The object of flag football is to strip a player with the ball of his/her flag belt.  

·        Players may not tackle, grab, trip, hold, clip, or restrict movement of the ball carrier in an attempt to deflag that player. The attempt at the flag should be a clear, grasping motion. A player is not permitted to grasp clothing of an opponent in an attempt to deflag him/her. Players may not attempt to strip the ball from the ball carrier.

·        A player may never deflag a player that does not have the ball.

·        If a player’s flag belt falls off, the player need only be touched with one hand in order to be considered down.

 

2.                  The Ball Carrier

·        The ball carrier may not stiff arm or hurdle an opponent in an attempt to avoid being deflagged.

·        Guarding the flag belt is illegal. ball carriers may not flag guard by using their hands, arms, or the ball to deny the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag. Violations will result in a flag-guarding penalty.

·        The ball carrier may lateral the ball to a teammate if both players are beyond the line of scrimmage. Forward laterals are illegal at all times.

 

 

3.                  Blocking

·        Defensive players must go around the offense’s screen block. The hands and arms may not be used as a wedge to contact the opponent, nor may the defense initiate body contact.

·        Blocking via pushing, chopping below the waist, and interlocked interference (as seen in tackle football) is not permitted in flag football. Screen blocking (as in basketball) is the only type of blocking permitted. The screen may be moving, but the blocker may never initiate contact with the rusher/defenseman.

·        The offensive screen block shall take place without contact. The screen blocker shall have his/her sides or behind his/her back. Any use of the arms, elbows, or legs to initiate contact during an offensive player’s screen block is illegal. A blocker may use his/her arms to break a fall or maintain balance.

·        Screen blocking fundamentals. A player making a screen block may not:

a)                          When behind a stationary opponent, take a position closer than one normal step to him/her.

b)                          When to the side of or in front of a stationary opponent, make contact with him/her.

c)                          Take a position so close to a moving opponent that his/her opponent can not avoid contact by changing directions.

 

 

 

1.                  Each team shall receive two thirty second time-outs per half. These time-outs do not carry over from half to half or to overtime. Each team will receive one time-out during the overtime period.

 

 

1.                  If a team is twenty-three or more points ahead when the two-minute warning is announced in the second half, the game shall be over. 

 

 

1.                  After a play in which a penalty is called (marked by the throwing of a penalty flag), the referee will give the call and explain to the captain of the offended team his/her options to decline or accept the penalty.

2.                  The following are five yard penalties:

A.                 Delay of game

B.                 Offside (including false starts & encroachment)

C.                 Illegal forward pass (plus loss of down)

D.                 Intentional grounding (plus loss of down)

E.                  Illegal procedure (including illegal formation, illegal motion, and too many players on the field)

The following are ten yard penalties:

A.           Offensive pass interference (plus loss of down)

B.           Defensive pass interference

C.           Tripping

D.           Clipping

E.            Illegal blocking

F.            Illegal use of hands

G.           Holding

H.           Flag guarding

I.              Personal Fouls

J.             Fighting (DQ)

3.                  Blatant unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and will result in expulsion from the game, as well as other sanctions as decided by the Intramural Director. All ejections carry a minimum of a one game suspension. Fighting carries a minimum season-long suspension for the antagonist, a minimum two game suspension for any player who retaliates, and a suspension for a player who becomes involved.