Team:  Each team can play with a minimum of 5 players and a maximum of 7 players on the playing field.  For Co-Rec teams, the number of male players may be equal to, or less than, but not greater than one more the number of female players.  Teams must maintain these numbers for the entire game.  The maximum number of players on the team roster is 12 participants.

Equipment:  Metal cleats are not allowed at any time!  Shirts must be tucked in at all times.  Pockets are prohibited.  Baseball caps and jewelry are prohibited.  Footballs, flag belts, and jerseys will be provided.   Shoes must be worn.
Flag Belt:  Each player must wear a one-piece belt with three flags permanently attached.  The Intramural Department will provide flag belts.  A flag belt must be worn free of any knots. 
Football:  The referee shall decide the legality of any ball.  The game ball will be provided.  The teams are responsible for retrieving the ball and having it ready for each play.  The offensive team may keep the ball in their huddle.

Rules:  NIRSA (National Intramural Recreational Sports Association) flag football rules apply to all games, except any of the following adaptations.  NIRSA rules provided on the Intramural website.

Referee’s Authority:  The referee has authority to rule promptly, in the spirit of good sportsmanship, on any situation not specifically covered in the rules.  The referee’s decisions are final in all matters pertaining to the game.

Protest Procedure:  Verbal On Site - Protests may be made on eligibility and rule interpretation; never on a judgment call by officials.  Only the Team Captain or designated game captain may file a protest.  Rule and procedure protests must be filed at the time of the incident and before play resumes.  The on-site supervisor will first attempt to handle the protest. If this ruling is not satisfactory to the Team Captain a written protest can be filed immediately after the activity with the Intramural on-site supervisor.  If the protesting team wins the contest, the protest is automatically withdrawn.  Written Protest - Must be presented to the Intramural Coordinator within 24 hours after the event.  All protests will be given to the Intramural Coordinator for a ruling.  Protest forms will be available at every contest.

Inclement Weather:  All Supervisors and Officials have the authority to postpone/cancel any event due to inclement weather.  Inclement weather includes, but not limited to rain, lightning, etc.

The Field:  The field is 100 yards long by 40 yards wide and is divided into four 20-yard zones and two 10-yard end zones.

Playing Time:  Playing time shall include two 18-minute halves.  The clock will run continuously in the first half and for the first 16 minutes of the second half unless stopped for a time out.  The last two minutes of the second half the clock will stop for time outs, incomplete passes, player in possession of the ball running out of bounds, first downs, and penalties.  Between the first and second half, the teams shall change goals.  Half time will be no longer than five minutes in length.

Time Outs:  Each team is entitled to 2 charged time-outs during each half.

 Captain’s Meeting:  Captains will be brought together with the officials to discuss rules, questions, and concerns.  The coin toss will take place during this time.

Coin Toss:  The captain winning the toss shall have a choice of options for the first half or shall defer his/her option to the second half.  The options for each half shall be:

• To choose whether his/her team will start on offense or defense.
• To choose the goal his/her team will defend.  The captain, not having the first choice of options for a half, shall exercise the remaining option.

Point Values and Player Responsibilities:  Scoring is only achieved by a ball carrier entering the opposing team’s end zone with their flags legally on their person. The player scoring the touchdown must raise their arms so that the nearest official can deflag the player.  If the player is not deflagged with one pull and the official determines the flag belt has been secured illegally, the touchdown is disallowed and the player is disqualified and it is a foul.

• Touchdown ------------------------------6 points

Female Score (co-rec only)-------9 points
Female pass to male for TD------9 points

• Safety-------------------------------------2 points

Successful Try for Extra Point:  Extra points are only attempted after a scored touchdown.

• Running or passing from 3-yards-----1 points
• Running or passing from 10-yards----2 points
• Running or passing from 20-yards----3 points
• If a team B player intercepts a pass or aired fumble during the try and returns it for a touchdown, they score 2 points.

20 Point Rule (applies to both men and women): If either team is 20 points ahead after the 16 minute running time of the second half, the game is over.

25 Point Rule (applies to Co-Rec):  Same procedure as above. 

Supervisory Mercy Rule (applies to all divisions):  If there is a great disparity in the score earlier than when the 20 and 25 point rules can take place, the supervisor has discretionary right to call a game.

Tie Game:  In case of a game ending in a tie score, the field captains shall be brought together and a coin toss will occur to determine the options, as in the start of the game.  There will be only one coin flip during the overtime period.  The winner of the toss shall be given options of offense or defense.  All overtime periods are played toward the same goal line. Each team will be given four downs from the same 10-yard line (10-yards for a touchdown).  The object will be to score a touchdown.  If the first team which is awarded the ball scores, the second team will still have four downs to win or tie the game. The ball will be placed on the 10-yard line to begin their series of four downs.  Try-for-points will be attempted and scored.  If the defense intercepts the ball and returns it for a touchdown, they will win the game.  If they do not return the interception for a touchdown, the series is over, the ball will be placed at the 10 yard line and the original defense will begin their series of 4 downs. Each team is entitled to one time-out only, during the entire overtime.

Substitutions:  Players can only substitute during a dead ball and during a huddle.  Once the huddle is broken no substitutions will be permitted for both the offensive and defensive sides.

OFFENSIVE RULES 

Beginning of Offensive Series:  Unless moved by penalty, the ball shall be snapped on the 14 yard line to start each half.

Play Clock:   The ball must be put into play no more than 25 seconds after the official has marked it ready for play.

Neutral Zone:  The 1-yard expanded neutral zone is between the forward point of the ball (orange spotter) and the defensive scrimmage line (gold spotter).

Series of Downs:  A team shall have four consecutive downs to advance to the next zone.

Zone Line-to Gain:  The zone line-to-gain in any series shall be the zone in advance of the ball that is established at the beginning of the series of downs.

Scrimmage Play:

• At least 4 players must be on the offensive line of scrimmage at the time of the snap.
• A backward pass or fumble that touches the ground between the line of scrimmage and the goal line is considered down on contact and belongs to the team last in possession of the ball unless lost on downs.  If a backward pass or fumble touches the ground inside the offensive team’s end zone the play results in a safety.
• Motion – Anyone who goes in motion must be only going parallel or backward at the snap.  A player in motion is not considered to be one of the 4 players on the scrimmage line.
• Center may snap the ball between the legs and must be parallel to the line of scrimmage.
• No direct snaps.  The player receiving the snap must be at least two yards behind the offensive scrimmage line.

Forward Pass:

• All players of either team are eligible to touch or catch a pass.
• A forward pass is thrown towards the opponent’s end zone by an offensive player after the snap.  A legal forward pass is one in which the passer’s feet are behind his/her team’s offensive scrimmage line when the ball leaves the passer’s hand.  Only one forward pass may be thrown per down. 

Co-Rec Rule Forward Passing:  During the offensive team’s possession, there may not be two consecutive forward pass completions from a male passer to a male receiver. The term “closed” means a male player may NOT throw a legal forward pass completion to any other male player. The term “open” means any player can complete a legal forward pass to any other player.  If a male passer completes a forward pass to a male receiver, the next completed forward pass must involve either a female passer or a female receiver for the play to then become open.  This rule also applies to the try-for-point.  There are no restrictions concerning a male passer completing forward passes to a female receiver or female to female or female to male.

Blocking:  THIS IS A NON-CONTACT SPORT!

• The offensive screen block shall take place without contact.  The screen blocker shall have their hands and arms at their back or at the side.  Any use of the arms, elbows or legs to initiate contact during an offensive player’s screen block is illegal.
• Defensive players must go around, not through the offensive player’s screen block.  The arms and hands may not be used as a wedge to contact the opponent.

Charging:  THIS IS A NON-CONTACT SPORT!  A runner shall not charge into nor contact an opponent in his/her path nor attempt to run between two opponents or between an opponent and a sideline, unless the place is such as to provide a reasonable chance for him/her to go through without contact.  If a runner in his/her progress has established a straight-line path, he/she may not be crowded out of that path, but if an opponent is able to legally establish a defensive position in that path, the runner must avoid contact by changing direction (this is the same principle as the block/charge in basketball).  No diving with ball in possession.

Ball Carrier:  The ball carrier shall not guard their flags by blocking, with arms or hands, the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag belt.  The ball carrier shall be prohibited from contacting an opponent with an extended hand or arm.  Even if ball carrier’s hand that has the ball is carried in such a way as to interfere with an opponent’s chance of removing the flags there will be a penalty.

KICKING THE BALL

 Formation and Snap:  Neither the kicking nor receiving team may advance beyond their respective scrimmage lines until the ball is punted.

Punt:

• The team captain may request a protected scrimmage kick on any down.  The captain must declare to the referee that their team wants a protected scrimmage kick.
• The kicker must kick the ball immediately.
• A punt that fails to cross the kicker’s scrimmage line is dead where it hits the ground or is untouched.

After Being Punted:

• ONCE THE BALL HITS THE GROUND IT IS DEAD.
• Punt may not be blocked.
• Each team must have four linemen on the line of scrimmage.  All players on both teams may not move until the ball is punted.
• The receiving team may advance the punt anywhere in the field of play or end zone.
• When a punt touches a player from either team and then hits the ground, the ball is dead and belongs to the receiving team.

Touchback:  If the receiving team decides not to run the ball out of their end zone or the ball exits out of the end zone the play results in a touchback.  After a touchback, the ball shall be snapped from the nearest 14-yard line.

DEFENSIVE RULES

Ball Declared Dead:  A live ball becomes dead and an official shall sound the whistle or declare it dead when:

• Any part of the runner other than a hand or foot touches the ground.
• A backward pass, fumble or muff touches the ground.  A snap that hits the ground before or after reaching the intended receiver is at the spot where it hits the ground.
• A runner has a flag belt removed legally by a defensive player.  A flag belt is removed when the clip is detached from the belt.
• A passer is deflagged prior to releasing the ball.
• Anytime the ball, in possession of a player, touches the ground, the ball shall be declared dead at the spot.

Removing the Flag Belt:  When the flag belt is clearly taken from the runner, the play shall end and the ball is declared dead.  A player who removes the flag belt may leave his/her feet.  Offensive players must have possession of the ball before they can be legally deflagged/tagged.  A flag belt that becomes detached inadvertently (not removed by grabbing and pulling) does not cause play to stop.  In circumstances where a flag belt is removed illegally, play should continue with the option of the penalty or the play given to the offensive team at the end of the play.  In all situations where a play is in progress and a ball carrier loses the flag belt accidentally, inadvertently or on purpose, the deflagging reverts to a one-hand tag of the ball carrier between the shoulders and knees.  Tampering with the flag belt in any way to gain an advantage including tying, using foreign materials or other such acts will result in a player misconduct penalty for first offense and if it occurs again an automatic ejection from the game.

Pass Interference:  THIS IS A NON-CONTACT SPORT!  Pass interference occurs when a player impedes the ability of another player to have a legitimate chance to catch a ball while the ball is in the air.  The penalty will be called on both offensive and defensive players.  ANY contact while the ball is in the air may be considered interference.

Tackling:  THIS IS A NON-CONTACT SPORT!  If a player tackles another player they will be ejected immediately.

SUMMARY OF FOULS AND PENALTIES