FLAG FOOTBALL RULES
Revised 08/24/04
All participants are required to complete a waiver of liability form each year.
All participants in intramural sports activities assume the risk of injury.
Rice University, its employees and agents shall not be liable for injury to
person, loss or damage to personal property arising from or in any way resulting
from participation in the intramural sports activities.
* Flag Football rules will be conducted under the NIRSA laws of the game with the following additions, exceptions, and clarifications. If you have any further rules questions, please contact Evan Stein.
* Captains are required to read the general IM Rules and Eligibility.
REMINDER: Game officials will now be strictly enforcing the NIRSA policy regarding illegal equipment, specifically shorts with pockets. You will NOT be allowed to participate in our game if your shorts have any pockets!
For clarification, illegal equipment consists of:
A. Headwear containing any hard, unyielding, stiff material, including billed
hats, or items containing exposed knots.
B. Jewelry.
C. Pads or braces worn above the waist.
D. Shoes with metal, ceramic, screw-in, or detachable cleats. EXCEPTION: Screw-in
cleats are allowed if the screw is part of the cleat.
E. Shirts or jerseys that do not remain tucked in. Any hood on a coat, sweatshirt,
or shirt that does not remain tucked in.
F. Pants or shorts with any belt(s), belt loop(s), pockets(s), or exposed drawstring(s).
G. Leg and knee braces made of hard, unyielding material, unless covered on
both sides and all edges overlapped.
H. Any slippery or sticky foreign substance on any equipment or exposed part
of the body.
I. Exposed metal on clothes or person.
J. Towels attached at the player's waist.
Additional 2004-2005 Rule changes/clarifications indicated in BOLD.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Each team should start the game with 7 players; a minimum of 5 is needed to avoid a forfeit. A player may play on only one team per sport. Please check the Rules of Eligibility for all other rules concerning Intramural Sports.
LENGTH OF GAME: Playing time shall be 44 minutes, separated into two halves of 22 minutes. Half-time shall be 3 minutes. There will be a running clock for the entire first half, and the first 20 minutes of the second half. The last 2 minutes of the second half will follow NIRSA timing rules (similar to NCAA Football). A coin toss will determine who shall receive the choice of possession or side at the beginning of the game. If only one team is ready to play at game time, they will automatically have the choice. In the case of overtime, there will be a 3-minute intermission prior to starting overtime. Should darkness threaten the completion of a game, periods can be shortened by mutual consent of both captains, the referee, and a supervisor.
MERCY RULE: If a team is 19 points or more ahead (25 points in Co-ed) when the Referee announces the two-minute warning for the second half, the game shall be over. If a team scores during the last two minutes of the second half and that score creates a point differential of 19 or more points (25 points in Coed), the game shall end at that point.
OVERTIME (TIE GAME): If the game score is tied after regulation time,
then a coin toss will determine who will get the ball & side. The home team
shall call the toss. If additional overtime periods are needed to decide the
outcome of the game (more than first overtime), captains shall alternate choices.
Each team will have the chance to score in series of four downs from the 10
yard line. If the score is still tied after each team has had a try (including
extra point attempts), a second series is played, and so on until a winner is
determined. (Exception: Regular season games will end in a tie if teams
are tied after the third series).
FREE KICK: There will be no free kicks, only punting.
PUNTING: Quick punts are illegal. On fourth down the Referee must ask
the Offensive team if they want a protected scrimmage kick. Once the offense
has declared their choice, the Referee will inform the Defense of the offense's
choice. The only way the Offense can change their decision is to call a time-out,
or if a foul occurs anytime prior to or during the down and the down is to be
replayed. In the later case the Offensive team will be asked if they want a
protected scrimmage kick or not. The kicking team must have all of its players,
except for the punter, on the line of scrimmage. No kicking team players may
move until the ball is kicked. There are no restrictions to the number of players
the defensive team must have on the line. Defensive players MAY attempt to block
the punt by jumping straight up in the air. They may not, however, penetrate
the line of scrimmage. If a punt crosses the scrimmage line and touches a player
from either team and then hits the ground, the ball is dead at that spot and
belongs to the receiving team.
LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: The offensive team must have a minimum of 4 players
(5 in Co-ed) set the line of scrimmage at the snap. Players in motion do not
count as players on the line of scrimmage. Once the center has placed his hands
on the ball no offensive player may enter the neutral zone. Following the ready
for play whistle and until a legal snap, no defensive player may encroach, touch
the ball, stand in, or in any other way interfere with the offensive team. Penalty
- Dead Ball foul, encroachment, 5 yards from succeeding spot.
BACKWARD PASSES AND FUMBLES: Any ball that is fumbled during a down will
be dead by rule once it has touched the ground. A backward pass or fumble may
be caught or intercepted by any player inbounds and advanced. A player may not
intentionally throw a backward pass out of bounds to conserve time or to avoid
being downed. This will be penalized as an Illegal pass: loss of 5 yards,
loss of down and the clock will start on the ready for play. Once a ball
has touched the ground the ball is considered dead.
FORWARD PASSES AND INTERCEPTIONS: If a player is in the air attempting
to catch a ball, the player must contact the ground with at least one foot in-bounds
with the ball in their possession prior to going out of bounds, unless contact
by an opponent causes the player to first touch out-of -bounds. If possession
of the ball is lost simultaneously when they hit the ground, it is not a catch.
If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by members of opposing teams, the
ball is dead at that spot and belongs to the team that snapped the ball.
PASS INTERFERENCE: Any contact that, in the view of the official, interferes
with the attempt to catch a pass (offensive or defensive player) is pass interference
unless, in the view of the official, it occurs when two or more eligible receivers
make a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch, or bat a pass. It
is also pass interference if an eligible receiver is deflagged or touched prior
to touching the ball on a pass thrown beyond the offense's line of scrimmage.
If the pass interference by the defense is intentional and/or unsportsmanlike,
the defense may be penalized an additional 10 yards.
SCORING:
Touchdowns = 6 points
Extra Points = 1 point if successful from the 3 yard line
Extra Points = 2 points if successful from the 10 yard line
Extra Points = 3 points if successful from the 20 yard line
Safety = 2 points
Defensive Conversion on Extra Point Attempt = 3 points
Once a team has made their choice on the extra point, they can only change their
decision by taking a time-out.
SAFETY: If a player carries the ball across the goal line they are defending
and the ball becomes dead while in their team's possession, it is a safety.
If a team commits a foul in the end zone where the spot of enforcement is designated
as the spot of the foul, it will be declared a safety. A team recording
a safety will receive two points, and the ball shall be snapped by the scoring
team at their own 14-yard-line, unless moved by penalty.
Exception- Momentum Rule - When a player intercepts a forward pass or catches
a scrimmage kick between their five yard line and their goal line and their
momentum carries them into the end zone where the ball becomes dead, the ball
will belong to the receiving team at the spot of the catch or reception.
PERSONAL FOULS: Any act listed below or any other act of unnecessary
roughness is a personal foul. Players shall not :
· Punch, strike, strip, steal, or attempt to steal the ball from a player
in possession.
· Trip an opponent.
· Contact an opponent who is on the ground.
· Throw the runner to the ground.
· Hurdle another player.
· Contact an opponent either before or after the ball is declared dead.
· Make any contact with an opponent that is deemed unnecessary.
· Deliberately drive or run into a defensive player.
· Clip an opponent.
· Position themselves on the shoulders of a teammate or opponent to gain
an advantage.
· Tackle the runner. (warrants ejection)
SCREEN BLOCKING: Legally obstructing an opponent without using any part
of the body to initiate contact. Screen blocking shall take place without contact.
The blocker shall have their hands and arms at their sides or behind their back.
A screen blocker cannot use their hands, arms, elbows, legs or body to initiate
contact. If they do use contact it will be called a Personal Foul.
Screen blockers may not:
· Take a position closer than a normal step when behind a stationary
opponent.
· Make contact when assuming a position at the side or in front of a
stationary opponent.
· Take a position so close to an opponent that they cannot avoid contact
by stopping or changing direction.
STIFF ARMING: Stiff arming is not allowed; a personal foul will be called,
and if warranted an unsportsmanlike conduct or ejection will result.
OBSTRUCTING THE RUNNER: A defensive player shall not hold, grasp, or obstruct
the forward progress of the runner when attempting to remove the flag belt.
THE FLAG BELT: All shirts must be tucked in, and are not permitted to hang
over the flag belt. Should a player loose their flag belt legally or illegally
during a down and should that player gain possession of a live ball, that player
will be considered down when a legal tag (one hand touched by the defense between
the shoulders and knees, including the hand and arm) is made. When a player
scores they must immediately raise their hands and allow an official to remove
their flag belt. This is done to insure that the flag belt has not been illegally
secured. If the belt has been illegally secured the score is disallowed, the
player ejected and a 10 yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty will be administered
from the previous spot. Players must have possession of the ball before they
can legally be deflagged. It is illegal for a defensive player to intentionally
pull a flag from an offensive player who is not in possession of the ball. In
cases where a flag belt is removed illegally, play should continue with the
option of the penalty of the play (Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards).
GUARDING THE FLAG BELT: Runners shall not flag guard by using any part
of the body or ball to deny the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove
the flag belt. Flag guarding includes but is not limited to:
· Swinging the hand or arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent
from deflagging.
· Placing the ball in possession over the flag belt to prevent an opponent
from deflagging.
· Lowering the shoulders in such a manner that flag guards.
OFFICIAL'S AUTHORITY: An official assumes authority 15 minutes prior to the scheduled game time, and until they have left the field. The officials have the authority to rule on any situation not specifically covered in the rules. His/her decision is final, unless ruled otherwise by the supervisor on duty or the Director of Intramural Sports. The official has the right to eject players or have them sit out of part or all of the game. Fans, coaches, and spectators are a part of a team and any fouls they commit will go against their team.
CO-REC FLAG Modifications:
PLAYERS: A game is played between two teams of 8 players, 4 men and 4 women.
Teams with 7 players shall be 4 men and 3 women or 3 men and 4 women. To avoid
a forfeit, six players, 3 men and 3 women or 2 men and 4 women are required.
THE BALL: A regular, intermediate, youth or junior size football may
be used.
LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: The offensive team must have at least 5 players on
their scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal Procedure, 5 yards from the previous
spot.
MALE RUNNER: The offensive team males cannot advance the ball through
their scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal Procedure, 5 yards from the previous
spot. There are no restrictions: during a run by a male runner once the ball
is beyond the offensive scrimmage line; during a run by a female runner, and
after a change of possession.
OPEN vs. CLOSED PLAYS: Each drive will begin with the play
being open. During the offensive team's possession there may not be two (2)
consecutive legal forward pass completions from a male passer to a male receiver.
This rule applies to the Try. If a male passer completes a legal forward pass
to a male receiver, the next legal forward pass completion MUST involve either
a female passer or a female receiver for positive yards. (i.e. All plays
are OPEN until a forward pass is completed from a male QB to a male receiver.
After a male-to-male completion, the next play shall be CLOSED, and will remain
closed until positive yards are gained on a passing play that involves either
a female QB or a female receiver). All closed play violations shall be penalized
as illegal forward passes. There are no other restrictions concerning a male
passer completing legal forward passes to a female receiver, or female to female,
or female to male. Any foul, whether accepted or declined, shall have no effect
on whether the next legal forward pass completing is "open" or "closed."
If a female ballcarrier rushes the ball for positive yardage on a CLOSED play,
there is no penalty, but the play shall remain closed.
SCORING: 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 offensive team member, the point value is 9.
All final decisions to eligibility rules will be at the discretion of the Intramural Director and Intramural Coordinator.
FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO:
Tina Villard, Director tvillard@
Evan Stein, Coordinator estein@
GYM OFFICE 713-348-5398 ims@
Website: http://www.rice.edu/intramuralsports
Revised August 2004
