Flag Football Rules - Fall 2008

• To register a team, please come to the Campus Recreation Administrative Suite in the Campus Recreation Center. You must fill out the registration form and pay the $90 entry fee. 
• Registration dates are September 15 - October 3. Space is limited so register early.

• League play is TBA.
• Games will be played in Nippert Stadium or Gettler Stadium. Monday through Thursday leagues will be played from 7pm-12am and Sunday leagues are noon to 12am. 
• Regular season, divisional play will be conducted as follows: 
  • Sunday - Men’s Independent, Coed
  • Monday - Men’s Independent, Coed
  • Tuesday - Men’s Independent, Coed
  • Wednesday - Fraternity
  • Thursday - Women, Sorority, Men's Independent, Coed   

• Teams may have up to 20 people on there roster.
• All players your roster must be CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER MEMBERS.
  • Full time students are automatically members of the Campus Recreation Center. 
  • Part time, co-op, branch students and faculty/staff must purchase a membership at the Campus Recreation Center to be eligible for intramural play. For membership information please visit the Campus Recreation Center Member Services Desk.
• A player who plays on your team in the regular season is eligible for playoffs you cannot add players to your roster during playoffs. 
• A player may only play on one men’s or women’s team and one coed team. 

• October 8 or 9 at 5pm in the CRC Classroom 3250 You must have a representative at one of these meetings. 
  NOTE: Any team that does not have a representative at one of these meetings will not qualify for playoffs.
• All play is governed by National Intramural Recreational Sports Association rules except where UC Intramural Sports has made adaptations.

  I. The game, field, players and equipment

1. Responsibilities of the team captain
   1. Read and know the rules. Have a team meeting to review the rules.
   2. Control yourself, your teammates and spectators.
   3. Check the score after all games. The referee will keep the official score. 
   4. Only the captain may address an official on matters of rule interpretations. Judgment calls may not be questioned.
2.  Number of players
   1. Each team may have a maximum of 7 players on the field at one time for independent games and 8 for Coed games. 
   2. A team may begin a game with a minimum of 5 players (men’s women’s sorority, fraternity), and 6 players (3 women, 3 men or 4 men 2 women) for Coed.  A team may continue to play with less than 5 players as long as it started the game with the minimum number. 
   3. You may sign up to 20 participants per game per team.
   4. Everyone must have a valid UC ID to play.
   5. The offensive team must have at least 4 players on the line of scrimmage, except when only 5 or fewer players are on the field, and then it must have 3 players.
   6. If a team forfeits a game, they can erase one forfeit and become eligible for playoffs by paying the $20 reinstatement fee prior to the deadline. Reinstatement Fees must be paid by Wednesday, November 13 by noon.
3. Equipment   
   1. Each player is required to wear a numbered jersey, which is not duplicated on her/his team, during the entire game. Teams are encouraged to provide their own numbered jerseys. Numbers must be at least 5" in height on the front and back of the shirt. Jerseys are available for checkout for teams. All Jerseys must be tucked in at all times no exceptions.  
   2. Each player must wear pants or shorts without any belt(s), belt loop(s), pocket(s) or exposed drawstrings.
   3. Casts are not permitted. No pads or braces are allowed above the waist. Players who wear a knee brace with exposed metal or metal hinges are required to cover it with at least one-half inch of closed cell slow recovery rubber or other material of the same minimum thickness and physical properties. Kneepads of a soft pliable nature (e.g., basketball or volleyball pads) will be allowed below the waist.
   4. No helmets or any type of hard or padded headgear or baseball cap may be worn. Stocking caps are legal.
   5. Shoes
      1. Each player must wear shoes. They must be made of a soft pliable upper material (canvas, leather or synthetic), which covers the foot, attached to a composition bottom.
      2. No combat or hiking boots or hard-soled shoes.
      3. Shoes that have metal, ceramic, screw-in, sharp points or detachable cleats are illegal.
   6. Towels attached at the player's waist are illegal.
   7. It is strongly recommended that all players wear a mouthpiece.
   8. The Intramural Supervisor's decision regarding legality of equipment is final.

1. Periods
   1. A legal game shall consist of 2-20 minute halves.
   2. Each half shall begin at the 14-yard line determined by the opening coin toss.
   3. The captain winning the toss will have first choice to take the ball, be on defense or defend a goal or defer. The next choice will belong to the loser of the toss, and choices will alternate thereafter.
   4. To begin the second half, depending on the decision of the captain winning the toss in the first half will determine whose ball it is.
   5. After a scored touchdown, the ball will be set in play at the receiving team’s 14-yard line, with no kick off, following all touchdowns.
2. Playing time
   1. Game time is the designated start time for the game.  Teams have until 10 minutes past the designated start time to be checked-in and ready to play before the game will be declared a forfeit.  Teams showing up after the designated game time and prior to the forfeit time will be allowed to play the game but will incur stiff penalties as outlined in the Intramural Handbook.
   2. A team unable to play or reschedule its game is allowed one default during the quarter.  To default, the Captain of the defaulting team must either come to the Campus Recreation Office and put it in a written notice concerning the default or send an email to intramural@ucmail.uc.edu at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled game.  If this procedure is followed, the team receives a loss but will not forfeit or become disqualified from the playoffs.  Less than a 48-hour notice will result in a forfeit.  A team may not default by phone.
   3. Games will not be extended past fifty minutes, regardless of the score and time remaining.  These games will be considered official.
   4. Games consist of 2-20-minute halves.  The clock will stop only in  last two minutes in the 2nd half for all incomplete passes, player out of bounds, timeouts, and penalties.
   5. Each team will be permitted 25 seconds to put the ball in play after the "ready for play" signal is given by the referee.
   6. Each team is allowed 2, 30-second timeouts and 1, 10-second timeout per game.  No single charged timeout should exceed 30 seconds.
   7. Periods will be extended if either team accepts a penalty on the last down of the half.
   8. A game is considered "official" after the first half is completed.
   9. There is no overtime period in the regular season.
   10. MERCY RULE: If either team leads by 19 or 25 (Coed) more points with 2 minutes left in the second half, or once a team is up by 30 or 35 (Coed) points in the second half, the game will end at that point and the results are considered final.
3. Substitutions
   1. Players may freely substitute between downs. 
4. Ball in play - The offense must snap the ball within 25 seconds after the referee has put the ball in play (sounds whistle and drops hand). 
   Penalty: Delay of game, 5 yards. If a team delays under two minutes left in the game, the first infraction shall be a loss of down. A second delay of game infraction will carry a loss of possession.
5. Dead ball
   1. A live ball becomes a dead ball as provided in the rules or when an official sounds the whistle, even inadvertently, or otherwise declares the ball dead.
   2. Ball declared dead:
      1. When it goes out of bounds.
      2. When any part of the runner's body other than the hand or foot touches the ground. The ball in possession is considered part of the player's hand.
      3. When a touchdown, touchback, safety or successful try-for-point is made
      4. When a player of the kicking team catches a punt.
      5. When a forward pass strikes the ground or is caught simultaneously by opposing players.
      6. When a backward pass or fumble by a player strikes the ground is dead at the spot where it hits the ground.
      7. When a runner has a flag legally removed by a defensive player. When a runner is legally touched with one hand between the shoulders and knees, including the hand and arm, in cases where the flag belt comes off without any obvious contact.
      8. When the passer is deflagged before releasing the ball.
      9. A snap from center that bounces into the hands of the quarterback or punter becomes dead at the point it hits the ground. A ball that is snapped over the head of the quarterback or punter becomes dead where the ball hits the ground. 
6. Fumbles
   1. A fumble or backward pass is dead at the point it hits the ground.  In each case possession goes to the team that last had possession.  Just touching the ball is not sufficient for legal possession.
   2. Any pass or fumble that is caught before it hits the ground may be advanced by either team.
7. Out of bounds
   1. A ball in player possession is out-of-bounds when either the ball or any part of the runner touches the ground or a player or game official on or outside a boundary line.
   2. A loose ball is out of bounds when it touches the ground, a player, or anything else that is on/outside a boundary line.
   3. A player who is catching a forward pass is considered out-of-bounds when any part of his/her person contacts that area declared out-of-bounds. One foot inbounds is needed for a legal reception.

1. Downs        
   1. The team in possession of the ball shall have four consecutive downs to advance to the next zone line-to-gain (orange cone).
   2. A new series of downs shall be awarded when a team moves the ball into the next zone. 
   3. The field, 80 yards long, will be marked with special significance to the goal line: 20, 40, 20 and end zones.
2. Line-to-gain 
   1. The zone line-to-gain in any series shall be the zone (next orange cone) in advance of the ball, unless such distance has been lost due to penalty or failure to gain. In such case, the original zone (orange cone) in advance of the ball at the beginning of the series of downs is the zone line-to-gain. 
   2. The most forward point of the ball, when declared dead between the goal lines shall be the determining factor. 
   3. After change of possession, all penalties shall be enforced prior to determining line-to-gain.

1. Free Kick
   1. NIRSA has gone to a No-Kick off format; a coin toss will determine the possession at the beginning of the game.
   2. The team choosing the ball will begin play at their 14 yard with 1st and 6 yards to gain.
   3. The same procedure will begin the second half; there will be no kickoffs.
2. Protected scrimmage kick
   1. Prior to making the ball ready for play on fourth down, the referee will ask the offense captain if s/he wants a protected scrimmage kick. The referee will communicate this decision to the defense captain and the other officials. The offense captain may request a protected scrimmage kick on any down. After such announcement, the ball must be kicked.
      Exceptions: a) a time-out is called, or b) a penalty occurs anytime during this down which results in the kicking team having the right to repeat the down, the referee must again ask the offense captain if s/he wants a protected scrimmage kick.
   2. The snap must be received at least 5 yards back and the kick executed behind the scrimmage line within a reasonable time. Each team must have at least 4 players on their scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot.
   3. Neither team may cross the scrimmage line until the ball is kicked. 
   4. Kick Recovery Inbounds, a rolling ball may be advanced by the receiving team provided that no one has touched the ball first. If the ball touches someone then hits the ground the ball is declared dead.
3. Fair catch
   1. All fair catch rules have been eliminated.

1. The scrimmage
   1. Snapping - the snap must be between the snapper's legs, or flipped back by a player standing sideways while keeping the point of the ball on the ground. The player receiving the snap must be at least 2 yards behind the scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal procedure, 5 yards.
   2. During the snap, the offensive team must have at least 5 players on their scrimmage line and within one yard of the scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot.
   3. Three and four point stances are legal.
   4. No player of the offensive team shall make a false start. A false start is any movement simulating the start of play. Penalty: Dead ball foul, illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot.
   5. The scrimmage line for team A is the yard line and its vertical plane that passes through the forward point of the ball. The scrimmage line for team B is the yard line and its vertical plane that passes one yard from the point of the ball nearest its own goal line. An offensive player is on his/her scrimmage line when facing his/her opponent’s goal line with the line of his/her shoulders approximately parallel and with his/her head breaking the plane of the imaginary line drawn through the waistline of the snapper and parallel to the scrimmage line.
   6. Encroachment - after the snapper has made his/her final adjustment of the ball, it is encroachment for any player to break the plane of his/her scrimmage line, except the snapper's right to be over the ball. Penalty: Encroachment, dead ball foul, 5 yards from the previous spot. 10 yards for 2 or more consecutive encroachment fouls.
   7. All offensive players must be motionless for one second preceding the snap, except for a player moving parallel to or away from the line of scrimmage. If a player starts in motion from the scrimmage line, that player must be at least 5 yards behind that line when the ball is snapped. The offensive team must still have 5 players on the scrimmage line at the snap. Penalty: Illegal motion, 5 yards from the previous spot.
   8. An offensive player that moves/shifts (other than going legally in motion) must stop for one full second before the snap. Penalty: Illegal shift, 5 yards from the previous spot.
2. Handing the ball
   1. A player may hand the ball backward at any time.
   2. During a free kick down, no player may hand the ball forward to a teammate.
   3. During a scrimmage down an offensive player may hand the ball forward behind the line only to any line player who has clearly faced his/her goal line by moving both feet in a half-turn and is at least one yard behind the line when s/he receives the ball or to a teammate who, at the snap, was behind his/her scrimmage line or on the end of his/her line and was not the snapper. Penalty: Illegal handling, 5 yards and loss of down. The loss of down penalty does not apply when there has been a change of team possession.
3. Passing and receiving
   1. Forward pass - all players are eligible to touch or catch a pass. Only one forward pass can be thrown per down. A forward pass is illegal:
      1. If the passer's foot is beyond his/her team's scrimmage line when the ball leaves his/her hand.
      2. If thrown after team possession has changed during the down.
      3. If a passer catches his/her untouched forward pass.
         Penalty: Illegal forward pass, 5 yards from the spot of the pass, loss of down, if prior to change of possession.
   2. The pass begins when the ball is released from the passer's hand.  The ball is dead if the passer is deflagged before the release.
   3. The initial direction of a pass determines whether a pass is forward or backward.
   4. After the ball is snapped, and until it has been touched, there shall be no offensive pass interference beyond the scrimmage line when the legal forward pass crosses the scrimmage line. Penalty: 10 yards from the previous spot and loss of down.
   5. After the passer releases a legal forward pass and until it is touched, there shall be no defensive pass interference beyond the offensive team's line while the ball is in flight. Penalty: 10 yards from the previous spot and an automatic first down.
   6. A pass may be touched by any number of offensive players prior to being caught.
   7. If a pass is caught simultaneously by opposing players, the ball becomes dead, is considered a completed pass, and belongs to the offensive team.

1. Scoring:
   Touchdown....... 6 points
   Touchdown……. 9 points (scored or thrown by female in Coed game)
   Safety.............. 2 points
2. Try-for-point:
   Ball in play from the 3-yard line:                                     1 point
   Ball in play from the 10-yard line:                                   2 points
   Defense intercepts and returns it for a touchdown:           2 points
   Ball in play from the 20-yard line:                                   3 points
   1. To be ruled a touchdown; the ball must be on or over the goal line (e.g., if a runner's body is in the end zone but s/he was deflagged while the ball was on the yard line, it is not a touchdown).
   2. After each touchdown, the player scoring the touchdown must immediately allow the game official to pull off her/his flag belt. This is done to ensure that the belt is not secured in an illegal manner.  Penalty: Player ejection and loss of score.
   3. Once the captain makes the choice for one or two or three points after a touchdown, s/he may change the decision only by taking an offensive charged team time-out.
   4. If the offensive team commits a foul that carries a loss of down penalty on the try-for-point, the try is finished and will not be repeated.
   5. After a failed try-for-point, the ball is placed on the scored-upon team's 14-yard line.
   6. A fumble or backward pass by the offense which first hits the ground in its own end zone is a safety.
   7. A fumble that hits the ground in the opponent's end zone is a touchback.
   8. If the ball is ruled dead after a runner carries the ball from the field of play to or across his/her own goal line, it is a safety. Exception: A player from the defensive team who intercepts a pass or catches a protected scrimmage free kick between the 5 yard line and goal line and whose original momentum carries him/her into the end zone is not subject to a safety if the ball is ruled dead in his/her possession or if the ball goes out of bounds in the end zone.  In either case, the ball belongs to the defensive team at the spot where the pass was intercepted or the kick was caught.
   9. A team that intercepts a pass in its own end zone may advance the ball out of the end zone. It is a touchback if the interceptor is deflagged before leaving his/her own end zone.
   10. On any made conversion, the ball will be put in play from the scored-upon team's 14-yard line.
       

       11.  If there is a foul by the defensive team during a down that results in a successful touchdown, the scoring team may choose to have the foul enforced at the succeeding spot or at the 14 yard line.

1. Personal fouls
   1. There shall be no personal fouls committed by players, substitutes, or coaches. Personal fouls include:
      1. Punching, striking, stripping or attempting to steal the ball from a player in possession.
      2. Using fist, foot, knee or leg to contact an opponent.
      3. Tackling the ball carrier by grasping or encircling with the hand(s) or arm(s) and taking the opponent toward the ground as in tackle football. The tackler will be ejected from the game.
      4. Illegal contact.
      5. Hurdling.
      6. Unnecessary roughness.
      7. Roughing the passer (automatic first down) - applies only to the player throwing a pass behind the offensive scrimmage line. If the defender contacts the passer's arm, whether or not he/she touches the pass, it is roughing the passer. Penalty for a-b and d-g above: Personal foul, 10 yards. Flagrant offenders will be disqualified.
   2. The runner may not:
      1. Be aided by a teammate (grasped, pushed or pulled). Penalty: Helping runner, 5 yards.
      2. Stiff-arm an opponent. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
      3. Guard their flags by blocking with arms or hand, thereby denying an opponent the opportunity to pull or remove the flag belt. Penalty: Flag guarding, 10 yards.
2. Blocking and screening
   1. Blocking is prohibited. A player may not use his/her hands, arms or body to block or ward off an opponent. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
   2. Offensive players may protect the runner by screening. The offensive screen block shall take place without contact and the screener may maintain a position (moving or stationary) between the defensive player and the runner. The screen blocker shall have his/her hands and arms at their sides or behind their 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 a hand or arm to break a fall or retain balance. Players must remain on their feet before, during and after screen blocking. No part of the screener's body, except the feet, may be in contact with the ground. Penalty: Illegal contact, 10 yards.
   3. Defensive players must go around the offensive player's screen block.  Defenders may not use their hands or arms to gain an advantage in going around the offensive blocker. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
   4. The runner may not straight arm or lower the shoulder into an opponent. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
   5. Illegal contact between the blocker/rusher will be called against the player determined to have initiated the contact (similar to block/charge in basketball). Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards. Repeated illegal contact will not be tolerated and will result in ejection.
3. Flag removal
   1. Deflagging (removal of the flag by a player) is allowed only under special circumstances similar to tackling in football.  Players must have possession of the ball before they can be legally deflagged.
   2. When a runner loses his/her flag belt either accidentally or inadvertently (not removed by grasping or pulling), play continues. The deflagging reverts to a one-hand tag of the runner between the shoulders and the knees.
   3. In circumstances where a flag belt is removed illegally, play should continue with the option of the penalty or the play. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
   4. Intentionally pulling or removing a flag belt from an offensive player without the ball by a defensive player is prohibited. Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.
   5. Tampering with the flag belt in any way to gain an advantage including tying, using foreign materials, or other such acts. Penalty: Player ejection, unsportsmanlike conduct (red card), 10 yards from the previous spot and loss of down.
4. Illegal participation
   1. Unless blocked or pushed out of bounds, no player of either team shall participate by touching the ball or hindering an opponent after having been out of bounds during the down.
   2. No replaced player or substitute shall hinder an opponent, touch the ball, influence the play, or otherwise participate.
   3. It is illegal participation:
      1. To have more than 7 players participating at the snap or free kick.
      2. If an injured player is not replaced for at least one down; unless halftime or intermission occurs.
      3. To use a replaced player or substitute in a substitution or pretended substitution to deceive opponents at or immediately before the snap or free kick.

1. The game shall be played between 2 teams of 8 players, 4 men and 4 women. Teams with 7 players shall be 4 men and 3 women or vice versa. Six players, 3 men and 3 women or 4men and 2 women or vice versa, are required to avoid forfeit.
2. The ball used will be intermediate, youth or junior.
3. The offensive team must have at least 5 players on their scrimmage line. There are no restrictions once the ball is beyond the line of scrimmage.
4. A male runner cannot advance the ball through their scrimmage line. That means if the quarterback is a male then he cannot scramble past the line of scrimmage.
5. Every other play has to be a “closed” play, which means a female has to be involved in running, catching or throwing the ball for positive yards. Once positive yards are gained on a closed play, the next play is considered to be “open” and male-to-male completion is allowed.
6. If a team is 25 or more points ahead when the Referee announces the 2 minute warning for the second half, the game shall be over. If a team scores during the last 2 minutes of the second half and that score creates a point difference of 25 or more the game shall end at that point.
7. Touchdown values if a female player scores a touchdown, the point value is 9. If a female player throws a legal forward pass and a touchdown is scored by any player on her team the point value is 9.

Loss of 5 Yards
  1. Delay of Game (Dead Ball Foul)
  2. False Start (Dead Ball Foul)
  3. Encroachment (Dead Ball Foul)
  4. Illegal Snap (Dead Ball Foul)
  5. Illegal Procedure
  6. Illegal Motion
  7. Illegal Shift
  8. Less than required number of players on the scrimmage line at the snap
  9.  Player receiving snap within 2 yards of scrimmage line
  10. Illegally handing the ball forward (loss of down)
  11. Illegal forward pass (loss of down)
  12. Illegal Substitution
  13. Aiding runner by teammates
  14. Kickoff out of bounds last touched by kicker

Loss of 10 yards 
  1. Illegal contact
  2. Going out of bounds and participating in the play
  3. Offensive pass interference (loss of down)
  4. Defensive pass interference (automatic first down)
  5. Straight arm, flag guarding, illegal flag belt removal
  6. Personal foul
  7. Unsportsmanlike conduct
  8. Roughing the passer (automatic first down)
  9. Fair catch interference
  10. Illegally secure flag belt (loss of down and player DQ)
  11. Illegal participation
  12. Illegal batting of the ball
  13. Illegal kicking of the ball
  14. Unsportsmanlike conduct
Note: The player will be disqualified if any of the above infractions are deemed flagrant.

Inside 2 minutes of the second half, infraction committed by:
  1. Team on offense: First delay of game of game (loss of down)
  2. Team on offense: Second delay of game (loss of possession)
  3. Team on defense: First delay of game (automatic 1st down for offense)
  4. Team on defense: Second delay of game (loss of 1 player/rest of game)