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Intramurals: Rules & Policies: Flag Football

  1. Field: The field will be 80 yards long by 40 yards wide. There will be 2 ten-yard end zones and the field will be divided into 3 twenty-yard zones.
  2. Touching: No tackling is permitted. The ball is declared dead when a defensive player grabs the flag off the offensive player. A defensive player must have 1 foot on the ground when detaching a flag. After the flag is pulled, the ball is dead and the next down starts from that spot. The ball carrier may not use hands or arms in any manner to prevent the flag from being pulled. Flags must be worn outside of clothing, hanging freely from the waist.
  3. Length of game: There shall be 2 halves of 20 minutes running time with 5 minutes between halves. Each team will be permitted 1 time out during the game. Time outs because of injury will not be charged time outs. The last 2 minutes of the second half the clock will stop as in regular football.
  4. Dead ball: A fumble or a pass, which strikes the ground, is dead. A kick, which strikes the ground after being touched or muffed by a receiver, is dead. A snap from the center, which is trapped or caught on a bounce without a fumble, is legitimate and is not a fumble unless dropped after touching it. A snap from the center, which goes over the head of the receiver, is dead where it touches the ground.
  5. Downs & Necessary Line: In a series of four downs, team A must advance the ball to or beyond the nearest yard line in advance of the spot where the first down started.
  6. Punts: Punts and quick kicks are the same as in regular football.
  7. Player eligibility: All players are eligible to receive forward or lateral passes. Only the person directly behind the center is eligible to receive the snap. A completed forward pass, which occurs behind the line of scrimmages, will allow the ball handler to throw another forward pass from behind the line. If the pass is incomplete it becomes second down at the spot of the pass. If completed, an automatic first down goes into effect. Ball caught simultaneously by 2 opposing receivers is dead and goes to the passing team.
  8. Blocking: Blocking must be done without use of the hands or extended arms. It is a type of body checking with the blocker in an upright position. No part of the blocker's body (except feet) shall be in contact with the ground during the block (penalty 10 yards).
  9. Use of hands: Players on the offense under no circumstances are allowed to use their hands on opponents. Defensive players may push other players aside (on the body) to grab a flag. Holding by either offense or defense is prohibited (penalty 10 yards.)
  10. Offsides: Plays must remain onside until the ball is snapped. The defensive team must line up approximately 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Any part of defensive or offensive players over the plane of the scrimmage line will be offside (penalty 5 yards).
  11. Delaying the game: Failure to put the ball in play within 25 seconds after it is ready for play is a delay of game (penalty 5 yards).
  12. Start of game: A coin toss will be utilized to start the game. Kickoffs are to be taken from the 10 yards spot. There are no onside kicks. A Squibb kick is allowed. Touchbacks are put into play from the 10-yard line. A safety counts as 1 point and the team who earns the safety then kicks off to the other team. All touchdowns count as 1 point and teams who earn the touchdown kicks off to the opposing team. The team that scores kicks the ball.
  13. End of the game: A tie game will stand - no overtimes.
  14. Penalties: Loss of 10-yards from the line of scrimmage or spot of foul, which ever is greater for these infractions: (1) ball carrier using hands or clothing to hide or prevent opponent from pulling the flag; (2) pushing, holding or hitting the ball carrier while pulling his flag; (3) wearing flags illegally.