MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY Campus Recreatin Intramural Sprts ELIGIBILITY RULES FLAG FOOTBALL RULES HANDOUT 1. Yu must have a MTSU ID t participate. NO ID, NO PLAY NO EXCEPTIONS! 2. N Persn shall play n mre than ne single sex and C-Rec team per sprt. If caught ding s by supervisr r fficial, Player shall be suspended fr remainder f seasn and that game shall be frfeited. Oppsing team des nt have t prtest if caught by supervisr r fficial. 3. N persn shall use false identificatin in rder t participate. If caught, persn will be suspended frm Intramural Sprts and pssibly Campus Recreatin activities fr a perid f time determined by the Assciate Directr f Intramurals, Sprt Clubs, and Wellness. THE GAME: 1. The Field: The field is 100 yards in length and 40 yards in width. There are fur 20 yard znes and tw 10 yard end znes. 2. Team: Teams will cnsist f 7 players in single sex, and 8 in C-Rec. A team may begin a game with 5 players in single sex, but 6 in C-Rec. A maximum f 12 players allwed n the rster. 3. Game: The game shall be played in tw 20 minute halves with a three minute half time. The clck will run cntinuusly until the final 2 minutes f the game (clck will nt run during injuries). 4. Time-uts: Teams will be given 3 time-uts per game. 5. Substitutins: Substitutins may ccur during any dead ball situatin. Multiple players can be substituted as lng as each team has n mre than 7 players n the field at a time. 6. Equipment: Hats, bandanas, metal cleats r spikes, shrts with pckets, r jewelry MAY NOT be wrn while playing. Any player fund wearing any f the abve during the game will be remved frm the game and nt allwed t re-enter. 7. Mercy Rules: (Games will be called when the fllwing situatins ccur) 40 pints @ 15 minutes in the 2 nd half, 25 pints @ 8 minutes, and 19 pints @ 2 minutes.
GAME SITUATIONS: The Lead Official will ask the Hme Captain if the number held behind the Lead Officials back is dd r even. A secnd fficial will stand behind the Lead Official t cnfirm the Odds r Evens Decisin. The team that wins the decisin has three ptins: First pssessin f the ball. Defend the gal f their chice. (Nte: If a team with first ptin chses t defend a gal, the ther team autmatically gets the ball.) This des nt guarantee a team the ball t start the secnd half. Defer their ptin t the secnd half. (This des NOT guarantee a team the ball t start 2 nd half). There will be n kickffs. Timing will be cntinuus fr the entire first half and fr the first 18 minutes f the secnd half. Only a team time-ut and fficial's time-ut can stp the clck. The clck will stp during the final tw minutes f the secnd half fr: Incmplete pass - clck restarts n the snap. Out f bunds - clck restarts n snap. Penalty - clck restarts depending n the result f the previus play. Scre - clck restarts n ppnent's next snap frm scrimmage. Time-uts - clck restarts n snap. Tuchback - clck restarts n snap. Inadvertent whistle - clck starts n the ready fr play whistle. First dwn - clck restarts, depending n result f the previus play. Apprximately 2 minutes befre the end f each half, the back judge shall infrm bth team captains f the playing time remaining in each half. The clck will stp in the 2nd half fr the 2-minute warning and will restart n the next snap. The ball must be put int play n mre than 25 secnds after the fficial has marked it ready fr play. Teams must use a time-ut in the fllwing situatins: If the team decides t change the pint ttal f their extra pint try, a time-ut must be used and the new pint ttal stated t the fficials. If the team decides t change a 4 th dwn decisin (G fr It r Punt) a time-ut must be used and the change f decisin stated t the fficials.
OVERTIME: POST-SEASON ONLY Regular seasn games can end in a tie. Overtime will nly be played during the playffs. Teams will receive ne time-ut fr THE ENTIRE vertime. Time-uts d nt carry ver int the vertime perid. A captains meeting will be cnducted t start the vertime perid. The Odds r Evens Decisin will be called by the hme team. The winner f the Odds r Evens Decisin has the chice f ffense r defense. If the game ges t a secnd vertime, the team which lst the Odds r Evens Decisin at the beginning f the first vertime has the chice t start n ffense r defense fr the secnd vertime. The chice will then alternate fr each succeeding vertime perid. Each team will have a series f fur dwns t scre frm their ppnent's 10-yard line. Teams which begin their vertime perid utside f the 10-yard line due t penalty must scre in 4 dwns and will NOT receive any first dwns fr crssing zne-line-t-gains in the prcess. Teams may receive anther set f dwns by penalty nly (autmatic first dwn). When a team scres, they will attempt an extra pint (1, 2, r 3). After the secnd vertime perid, teams must g fr a minimum f 2 pints n their extra pint try. The team n defense first will have its chance t scre and attempt an extra pint. Overtime will cntinue until a winner is declared. The defense may nt intercept the ball and return it fr a tuchdwn. In this case, they will win the game. If they d nt scre, the vertime will prceed as necessary. The ffensive team's series is ver when the defense intercepts a pass. SCORING: A tuchdwn shall cunt fr six (6) pints and nine (9) fr a female in C-Rec. After a player scres a tuchdwn r try after a TD, the player must raise their arms abve their head s that the nearest fficial can de-flag the player. After a tuchdwn, the scring team attempts a PAT (pint after tuchdwn). The captain will indicate frm which distance the ffense will attempt the PAT. Frm the 3-yard line - Wrth 1 pint. Frm the 10-yard line - Wrth 2 pints. Frm the 20-yard line- Wrth 3 pints. An interceptin r a turnver during a PAT will result in a dead ball and the PAT will be ver. A safety shall cunt fr 2 pints. Afterwards, the ball will be put in play by the scring team at their 14-yard line.
EQUIPMENT AND PLAYING FIELD: Individual player equipment must meet the fllwing requirements r he/she will be remved frm the game: Shirts: All shirts must be tucked in at all times. Failure t d s will result in a failure t wear prper equipment penalty. Shirts that are cut ff must be cut ff abve the player s belly buttn. Sleeves that are cut ff can leave n mre than a 4 inch space r a fist length between the side f the shirt and the player s underarm. Pants: Players may nt wear pants r shrts that have belt lps, pckets, r an expsed drawstring. Players may nt wear twels that hang frm the waist. If player wears a half shirt, it must be abve the belly buttn. Shrts r pants may nt be turned inside ut in rder t avid a pcket equipment vilatin. Even if a pcket is created during the game yu will be remved frm the game t change shrts. NOTE: Any player wh is fund t be wearing pckets after the game has started will be remved frm the game and will nt be allwed t re-enter. Headgear: Players may nt wear baseball style caps r ther rigid headwear. Knit and stcking caps are permitted as lng as there is n balls n the tp. Players may wear a headband n wider than tw inches and made f nn-abrasive clth, elastic, fiber, sft leather, r rubber. Bandanas with knts are prhibited. Rubber r clth elastic bands may be used t cntrl hair. Pads r Braces: N pads r braces may be wrn abve the waist. Leg and knee braces made f hard, unyielding material must be cvered n bth sides and all edges with apprpriate slw-recvery padding. Shes: All players must wear shes. Tennis/running shes and rubber mlded cleats are permitted. Spikes and cleats with metal expsed are prhibited. Any player caught wearing spikes will be ejected frm the game. FLAG BELTS: Each player must wear a three flag belt with ne flag n each hip and ne in the rear. All players must have three flags at the beginning f play. Failure t wear a flag belt at the start f the play, if nticed by an fficial prir t the snap, is a live ball penalty (5 yards). If a runner lses his/her flag during the actin, the play will cntinue. The play ends when a defensive player tuches the runner with ne hand between the shulders and the knees. Tampering with the flag belt in any way t gain advantage, including tying, using freign material, r ther such acts is unsprtsmanlike cnduct. (10 yards, lss f dwn and player disqualificatin)
PLAYING RULES: The nly type f blcking that is allwed is screen blcking. N cntact is allwed between the ffense and defense. Penalty: Illegal Cntact, 10 yards. The screen blcker must have hands at side, acrss chest, r behind back. Any use f the hands, arms, legs r bdy t initiate cntact is illegal. The player must be n his/her feet befre, during and after the screen blck. The blcker cannt take a psitin s clse t a mving ppnent that his/her ppnent cannt avid cntact by stpping r changing directin. This psitin will vary frm 1 t 2 steps depending n speed f the defensive player. The ffensive team must retrieve the ball after every play frm scrimmage. The snapper will maintain cntrl f the ball and bring the ball frm the huddle t the line f scrimmage. Fur (4) ffensive players (five (5) in C-Rec) must be n the line f scrimmage at the snap. A player is deemed n the line f scrimmage when facing his/her ppnent's gal line with the line f his/her shulders apprximately parallel theret and with his/her head r ft breaking the plane f the imaginary line drawn thrugh the waistline f the snapper and parallel t the scrimmage line. A team registers a first dwn when it crsses r tuches ne f the first dwn lines (zne lines-t-gain). Once the first dwn has been established, that team may nt make anther first dwn by crssing the same line during that series f dwns. All punts must be annunced t the referee. There are n quick kicks. PENALTY: Illegal Prcedure, 10 yards frm the previus spt. Each team must have all players n the line f scrimmage, except the punter and the return man, during a punt. PENALTY: Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards frm the previus spt. The kicker must catch and kick the ball immediately in ne cntinuus mtin. PENALTY: Delay f Game, 5 yards frm the previus spt. Neither team may advance beynd their respective scrimmage line until the ball is kicked. PENALTY: Illegal prcedure, 5 yards frm the previus spt. If the ffense declares t punt, then wants t change their decisin, they may d s after a charged timeut r an accepted penalty in which the dwn is t be replayed. Kickers may nt punt bareft. PENALTY: Failure t wear prper equipment, 5 yards frm the previus spt. PUNTS MAY NOT BE RETURNED OUT OF THE END ZONE. If a punt is muffed by the receiving team and caught in the air by the kicking team, it is dead at that spt and the kicking team retains pssessin, first and linet-gain. If caught in the air by the receiving team, they may advance the ball. All punts that break the plane f the End zne will be blwn dead and either a tuchback r safety will be awarded t the receiving team.
PLAYING RULES: If a player intercepts the ball in the end zne, the player may return it ut f the end zne. If the player is deflagged while running in the end zne, it is a tuchback unless it is a try r in an Overtime perid. A fumble is dead as sn as the ball tuches the grund. If the ball is fumbled backwards, it will be dead at the spt where it tuches the grund. If fumbled frward, the ball is dead at the spt where the fumble ccurred. The ball ges t the team wh last had pssessin with the resulting lss f dwn. A ball that has nt hit the grund can be recvered and advanced by either team. Any ffensive r defensive player may hand the ball frward r backward t any player at any time. A frward pass is LEGAL when: The passer's ft is behind r n the line f scrimmage when the ball leaves the hand. The pass ccurs befre a change f pssessin (defense may nt thrw a frward pass fllwing a fumble recvery r interceptin). It is the first and nly frward pass made during the dwn. Only ne frward pass is permitted per dwn, regardless f whether the pass is cmpleted beynd r behind the line f scrimmage. NOTE: An ffensive player may run thrugh (acrss) the line f scrimmage, then run back behind the line f scrimmage and thrw a frward pass OR tss the ball backward t anther player wh can then thrw a frward pass as lng as such pass abides by the prvisins f this sectin. All legal players are eligible t receive a pass. One ft must land in bunds befre any part f the bdy lands in the ut-f-bunds area fr a legal pass receptin. One knee is equivalent. When an fficial sunds his/her whistle inadvertently: During a legal pass, while a snap is in flight, r while a kick is in-flight, the dwn will be replayed. When a player is in pssessin r during a backward pass, the team in pssessin may chse either t accept the play where it is blwn dead r t replay the dwn.
EXPLANATION OF GENERAL PENALTIES: Delay f Game: (dead ball ful, 5 yards frm the previus spt) The ball must be put in play prperly and legally and any actin r inactin by either team which tends t prevent this is illegal delay f game. This includes: Interrupting the 25 secnd cunt fr any reasn, except fr a timeut allwed by the referee. Cnsuming mre than 25 secnds in putting the ball in play after it is marked ready fr play. Deliberately advancing the ball after it has been declared dead. Encrachment [Offside] (dead ball ful, 5 yards frm the previus spt) Fllwing the ready-t-play whistle and prir t the snap, n player n defense may encrach, tuch the ball, r cntact an ppnent in any way. It is encrachment fr any player t break his/her scrimmage line plane (yellw disk [defense], range disk [ffense]). Players d NOT have the pprtunity t jump acrss the line and "get back" nside. It is a ful as sn as the player initially enters the neutral zne. Illegal Prcedure (5 yards frm the previus spt) When there are less than fur (4) ffensive players n the line f scrimmage at the snap, it is a live ball illegal prcedure penalty. The player wh receives the snap must be at least 2 yards behind the ffensive scrimmage line. False Start (dead ball ful, 5 yards frm the previus spt) N ffensive player shall simulate a charge r start f a play Illegal Mtin and Shift (5 yards frm the previus spt) Only ne ffense player may be in mtin, but nt in mtin twards the ppnent's gal line (r line f scrimmage), at the time f the snap. After a huddle, all ffensive players must cme t a stp and remain statinary fr 1 secnd befre an ffensive player may g in mtin. Flag Guarding (10 yards frm the spt f the ful) The ball carrier shall nt prtect his/her flags by blcking with his/her arms r hands in rder t deny the ppnents the pprtunity t remve them. Nte: Stiff arming is flag guarding. Running while hlding the ball at hip-level, intentinally r unintentinally, may als be cnsidered flag guarding. Illegally Deflaging an Oppnent (Persnal ful, 10 yards) Any ffensive player must have pssessin f the ball befre they can be legally deflagged. Pulling r remving a flag belt frm an ffensive player withut the ball is illegal. If the player is an eligible receiver, the vilatin may be cnsidered pass interference.
EXPLANATION OF GENERAL PENALTIES: Illegal Cntact by the Ball Carrier (Persnal ful, 10 yards frm the spt f the ful) The ball carrier must run t avid tacklers. Deliberate charging f an ppnent is against the rules. Officials will use the same judgment n charging and blcking by ffensive and defensive players as in basketball. "Brushing cntact" and unavidable cntact is nt willful "charging." The ball carrier may spin r jump arund defenders t avid deflagging; hwever, the ball carrier must remain in cntrl f his/her bdy during such mves. If the ful is intentinal r unsprtsmanlike, then 10 mre yards will be added t the penalty and the player will be disqualified. Hlding (10 yards frm the end f the run [defense], 10 yards frm the spt f the ful [ffense]) Hlding is grasping r encircling an ppnent with the hand r arm in any way that impedes his/her mvement. A defensive player may nt hld, push, r knck the ball carrier dwn in an attempt t remve the flag. Similarly, an ffensive player may nt hld an ppnent t prevent a flag frm being pulled. Tripping (10 yards frm the end f the run) Tripping is using the lwer leg r ft t bstruct an ppnent (including the ball carrier) belw the knees. PENALTY: 10 yards frm the end f the run. Illegal Frward Pass & Intentinal Grunding (5 yards frm the spt f the ful and lss f dwn)a pass thrwn in vilatin f the legal pass guidelines listed abve is Illegal Cntact by the Defense & Tackling (10 yards frm the end f the run) If a defensive player reaches acrss the bdy f the ball carrier t pull the flag and cntact is made, the respnsibility f the cntact lies with the defensive player. A runner shall nt be thrwn t the grund. There shall be n cntact with an ppnent wh is n the grund. If a defensive player tackles the ball carrier, wh in the pinin f the referee, cnsidered illegal. A pass that is intentinally thrwn t the grund r ut f bunds t avid a lss f yardage is als illegal. Offensive Pass Interference (10 yards frm the previus spt) Pass interference ccurs when a player cntacts anther eligible receiver wh is beynd the line f scrimmage. Restrictins exist fr the ffense frm the time that the ball is snapped until it has been tuched by a receiver. Defensive Pass Interference (10 yards frm the previus spt) Restrictins exist fr the defense frm the time the pass is thrwn until it has been tuched by a receiver. Cntact r interference by the defense prir t when the pass is thrwn is still cnsidered illegal and will be penalized as a persnal ful. Any attempt by a defender t blck the receiver s line f sight t the ball, cmmnly knwn as face-guarding withut attempting t make a play n the ball will be cnsidered pass interference. Nte: There is n such thing as an uncatchable ball. Rughing the Passer (10 yards frm end f the run / previus spt & autmatic first dwn) Restrictins exist nce the quarterback has received the snap frm the center. Cntact with the quarterback during r after the ball is released is cnsidered illegal and will be penalized as a persnal ful.
OTHER PERSONAL FOULS 10 yards frm the end f the run [defense], 10 yards frm the spt f the ful [ffense]. Any act prhibited hereunder r any ther act f unnecessary rughness is a persnal ful. N player shall punch, strike, strip, steal, r attempt t steal the ball frm the player wh has pssessin. There shall be n tripping r clipping. There shall be n hurdling. Hurdling shall be interpreted as an attempt by the runner t jump with either feet r knees fremst ver a player r between players. (Yu can jump, dive, r spin away frm players t avid having yur flag pulled, as lng as n cntact is made with the ppnent). Unfair Acts: (10 yards frm the spt f the ful r previus spt) N player, substitute, cach, r thers subject t the rules shall use wrds r phrases t cmmit any act nt in accrdance with the spirit f fair play fr the purpses f cnfusing the ppnent. Nn Cntact Acts: N player r nn-player deflags r interferes with an ppsing player with the ball. Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards, autmatic tuchdwn, and ejectin f ffending player/ nn-player. THE CO-REC GAME: The game is played between tw teams f 8 players each. Teams must begin and end each match with a minimum f 6 players. If teams have 4 females they must put 4 females n the field f play. C-Rec matches may be played with an uneven male/female r female/male rati accrding t the fllwing premise: Minus 1: 4/3 male/female and vice versa; Minus 2: 5/3 r 4/2 male t female and vice versa (This may ccur at the cnsent f bth teams r at the discretin f the Intramural Sprts Staff.) If a team has 4 girls they are required t play the 4 girls and are nt allwed t play with the 5/3 rati. Line f Scrimmage: 5 ffensive players must be n the line f scrimmage when the ball is snapped (Penalty Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards frm the previus spt).
THE CO-REC GAME: Male Runner: The ffensive team males cannt advance the ball past their scrimmage line. (Penalty Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards frm the previus spt). Restrictin: A male runner can advance the ball n mre than 2 steps frward n a free kick. A female runner nly may advance the ball frward. Hwever, after the receiving team has caught the free kick, if there is a subsequent change f team pssessin, any male r female player may advance, 5 yards. Open vs. Clsed Plays: Each drive will begin with the play being pen. During the ffensive team s pssessin there may nt be 2 cnsecutive legal frward pass cmpletins frm a male passer t a male receiver. This rule applies t the Try. If a male passer cmpletes a legal frward pass t a male receiver, the next legal frward pass must invlve either a female passer r female receiver fr psitive yards (i.e., all plays are Open until a frward pass is cmpleted frm a male QB t a male receiver). After a male t male cmpletin, the next play shall be clsed and will remain s until psitive yards are gained in a play invlving a female QB r receiver (Penalty Illegal Frward Pass, 5 yards frm previus spt and lss f dwn). Any ful, whether accepted r declined, shall have n effect n whether the next legal frward pass cmpleting is pen r clsed. SCORING If a female passes, catches, r rushes fr a tuchdwn = 9 pints. All ther tuchdwns = 6 pints. (Extra pint attempts are nrmal pint values) Flag Ftball 8/13/15