RULE BOOK FOR REDZONE FLAG FOOTBALL -CHAMPION 03/18/2017 THE ATTIRE The league provides each player with an official flag belt and official NFL FLAG team jersey. Teams will only use footballs provided by the league. Jerseys must remain tucked in always, if a jersey is hanging over their flag belt they may be called for flag guarding. Players are required to wear protective mouthpieces always during a game. For safety reasons, it is required that all players wear shorts or pants that don t have any pockets. There is a risk of broken fingers when attempting to pull flags if pockets are present. Shoes are required you may wear molded cleats however, no metal cleats are allowed. Home team is listed first on the schedule and will wear the dark side of the jersey, away teams will be listed second and wear the light side of jersey. RULES No contact or blocking is allowed. The quarterback cannot run the ball unless he or she has received a direct handoff behind the line of scrimmage. Any player who rushes the quarterback must start 7 yards off the line of scrimmage which will be marked by the official. **No rushing the quarterback in 5-8 division. All players are eligible to receive a pass. All possessions will start at the 5-yard line except for interceptions will start where flag the is pulled. Interceptions may be returned for a touchdown. The offense has 3 downs to pass midfield for a first down and then 3 downs to score. There is no kicking or punting Offensive penalties in all divisions will result in a loss of down. Defensive penalties will result in an automatic first down. The offensive team is responsible for collecting both the line of scrimmage puck and rushing puck.
TIME AND SCORING Games are played with two 24 minute halves and a 2-minute half time. Each team is allowed two timeouts per half lasting 60 seconds each. Timeouts will not be carried over into the second half. There is a 30 second huddle clock which starts when the line of scrimmage is marked by the official. (5-8 division will get 45 seconds) Referee may stop the clock at own discretion. The game clock will only stop at the two-minute warning of the second half and injuries at any point during the game. Additionally, it will stop for an incompletion, extra point, or if the offense gets out of bounds during the last two minutes of the second half. If a team is up by 3 touchdowns or more at the two-minute warning, the game clock will not stop at all during the last two minutes. SCORING: Touchdowns are 6 points Extra point (5 yards) 1 point Extra point (10 yards) 2 points Safety = 2 points Interceptions for a touchdown = 6 points Interceptions returned to score on extra points will be awarded 1 or 2 points depending on which PAT was attempted by the offense. OVERTIME: A coin toss will determine first possession winning team choosing offense or defense. Both teams will get a possession and get three plays from the 2-point extra point line. If the score is tied after the first overtime, the team that lost the overtime coin toss will choose offense or defense for the second overtime period. In second overtime period, each team may choose to go for a 1 point or 2-point conversion and will only receive one play to score. If the game is tied after two overtime periods both teams receive one play from the 10 yard 2-point line and the team that receives the most yards wins. POSSESSIONS At the start of the game the official will flip a coin to determine possession of ball for first or second half. The team that wins the toss has the choice of offense or defense, at halftime the teams will automatically switch directions and possession. All possession changes will start at the offensive 5-yard line. Only exception for this rule is that interceptions will take possession where the flag pull occurs. COACHES ON THE FIELD Only one coach will be permitted on the field in the offensive huddle. Offensive coach must back up and be out of the way of play. Defensive coaches will not be permitted on the field however, they may direct and align players before the play and move away from the playing area.
PASSING GAME Only one forward pass per down is permitted. All passes much be forward and received beyond the line of scrimmage. Shovel passes are permitted if they are received beyond the line of scrimmage. Quarterback has 7 seconds to pass the ball. Officials will blow the whistle and play is dead on the 7 count. If the pass isn t thrown within the 7 seconds, the play is dead with a loss of down. Once the ball is handed off the 7 second pass clock is no longer in effect. Interceptions can be returned; the ball is spotted where the defenders flag is pulled. If a penalty occurs on an interception by the return team, the penalty will be assessed from the location of the interception. If a penalty occurs on an interception by the defensive team, the penalty will be assessed from the end of the run. RECEIVING GAME All players must start with their flag belts on. If a player starts without a flag belt properly secure with both flags attached, his or her team will be assessed a 5-yard penalty and loss of down. All players are eligible to receive passes including the quarterback if the ball has been handed off behind the line of scrimmage. A receiver is down where his or her flag is pulled. To achieve a first down or touchdown, the ball carriers flag belt and ball must cross the first down line or goal line. If a receiver s flag belt falls off or is pulled off before a catch is made, the receiver is down where the catch is made. Receiver must have at least one foot in bounds when making a catch. Only one player is eligible to be in motion at one time. RUNNING GAME The quarterback can t run the ball unless he or she has received a direct hand off. Only hand offs behind the line of scrimmage are legal, any player behind the line of scrimmage can receive a handoff. **The ball cannot be handed off between the center s legs. No laterals or pitches of any kind anywhere on the field are allowed. A player receiving a hand off is eligible to throw the ball if he or she has not crossed the line of scrimmage. Once the ball has been handed off, all defensive players are eligible to rush. Defensive players cannot pass the line of scrimmage during a direct hand off play, until the ball is handed off. **Exception. if player is rushing from rushing puck it is legal to cross line of scrimmage before the hand off occurs. Spinning is allowed however, jumping or diving to advance the ball is not allowed. If a flag falls off during a run, the play is ruled dead where the flag is dropped.
NO RUN ZONES No run zones are located five yards from each end zone and five yards on both sides of mid field. No run zones are designed to avoid short yardage situations. No run zones come into effect only when the offensive team is approaching a first down or end zone. **Exception: If offensive team has already received a first down but has been pushed back into a no run zone, then the no run zone is no longer in effect. RUSHING THE QUARTERBACK All players that rush the quarterback must be a minimum of seven yards from the line of scrimmage, which will be marked by the officials with the rushing puck. Any number of players are eligible to rush the quarterback. **5-8 division is not eligible to rush QB The 5-8 division will use pucks as well but will be place one yard apart. The second puck is the defensive line of scrimmage, they are not allowed to cross the defensive line of scrimmage until the ball is handed off. Once offense is within one yard of first down marker or end zone, the defensive puck is not used for that play. If the offense draws a defensive player to jump the 7-yard rushing puck, that defensive player is not eligible to rush on that play. However, any defensive player behind the 7- yard puck may rush the QB instead. All rushers must line up one yard on either side of the center and/or rushing puck they cannot line up directly in front of the center or they give up their right of way. The rusher has the right of way to quarterback. Offensive players must avoid the pass rusher. If the path is crossed and contact is made, then an offensive penalty is assessed. Players not rushing the quarterback may defend the line of scrimmage but must line up one yard from the line of scrimmage. A rusher must go for the quarterback s flags. The rusher may attempt to block the pass but it is a penalty to contact the quarterback s arm. DEAD BALLS A play is ruled dead when the following occurs: Ball carriers flag is pulled, ball carriers flag falls off, ball carrier steps out of bounds, ball carriers knee touches the ground, ball carrier lets the ball touch the ground, ball carrier fumbles the ball, and after a touchdown or extra point conversion. There are NO fumbles. The ball will be spotted where the player loses control of the ball. If there is an inadvertent whistle at any point during a play, the play is dead at that point. The offense has two options: 1) Take the ball where it was at the time of the whistle and the down is consumed. 2) Replay the down from the original line of scrimmage.
PENALTIES All defensive penalties are 5 yards and an automatic first down. All offensive penalties are 5 yards and a loss of down from line of scrimmage except for flag guarding, blocking/screening, diving and jumping which will be marked off from the point of the infraction. On a defensive holding penalty, the offense will have the choice of taking the play or 5 yards from the line of scrimmage and first down. Defensive tackling is 5 yards added to the end of the play and first down. Any type of blocking or screening is illegal and will result in a penalty. Games will not end on any accepted live ball defensive penalty. Only the head coach can ask officials for clarifications on rules and or interpretations of the rules. ALL CALLS BY THE OFFICIALS ARE FINAL. Please be respectful and show good sportsmanship towards our officials.