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Boys
FLAG FB rules

Updated Jan 2025

STOP CLOCK SITUATIONS      

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      MISUNDERSTOOD

⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎ CLOCK RULE ⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

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Officials are mis-applying:

ᴬStopping the clock when it should run or 

ᴮRunning the clock when it should stop.

​​

-- Be aware of the league you are working.

-- Don't argue rules unless you're 100% sure!

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1. RUNNING CLOCK SITUATIONS

  • Four (10)-Min Running Quarters

  • 5-Min Halftime

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2. STOP CLOCK SITUATIONS

  • Last 2-Min ⋮ Each Half

  • Score less than 24-Points

  • Incomplete Pass

  • Change of Possession (incl. Kickoffs)

  • Touchdown

  • Out of Bounds

  • Referee Time-Out​

​

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REQUIRED UNIFORM ​

¹ Shirts Tucked In

² Athletic Shoes​​

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KICKOFFS​​

  • Kicking Team:  Ball placed at 30-yard line (on tee or ground) with 4-players on their 40-yard line ⋮ 10-yards from tee if penalty has occurred.

  • Teams remain behind their yardline until ball is kicked.

  • Ball is kicked following the ref’s whistle.

  • Only the receiving team may advance the ball.

  • All kicked balls that touch the plane of the goal (touch-back) are dead.

  • Next, the offensive ball is placed on the 20-yard line.​

​

REMINDERS

  • Ball touched by the kicking team first is dead at the spot.

  • 1-Muff during kickoff is allowed (live ball).

  • A 2nd Muff is a dead ball.

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PENALTY (If ball kicked out of bounds) ​

  • Option 1 ⇢ 5-yard penalty ⋮ Re-kick from 25-yard line

  • Option 2 ⇢ Take the ball at the 30-yard line or the spot greater than the 30-yard line. 

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FLAG REQUIREMENTS​

  • Head Coaches & Players: Are equally responsible to ensure mandatory equipment is legal.

  • Flags Positioned: Both sides (at the waist)

  • ILLEGAL: Untightened Belts (flags moved from proper position).

  • ILLEGAL: Flag belt blue strap hanging, untucked. In either case: Whistle blown (Ending the down at the spot.) 

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PENALTIES​

  • Illegal procedure ⋮ No yardage deducted

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FLAGS DISCOVERED MISSING​

  • END OF PLAY: The illegal procedure foul did occur on the previous down (i.e. 2ᴺᴰ or 3ᴿᴰ)  ⋮  The ball will be place at previous Line of Scrimmage

  • AFTER PAT: The PAT is unsuccessful (No Replay)

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LEGAL BLOCKING​

¹ Contact in a non-roughing manor.

² Open hands.

³ Between waist & shoulders.

⁴ Within the frame from the front or side.​

​______________________​

  • Blocker must remain standing throughout

  • It is a foul to leave their feet.

  • Forearms or Elbows are deemed flagrant (possible disqualification).

______________________​

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ILLEGAL BLOCKING​

  • Slapping or striking motion.

  • It is a penalty to run through an opponent. The runner must move laterally/angled to avoid illegal contact. 

OFFENSIVE POSITIONS​​

  • Must have 5-men on Line of Scrimmage 

​

  • End • Guard • Center • Guard • End

 

  • Both guards must be covered up by ends on the right & left side of Line of Scrimmage.

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RB • QB • RB

  • Are “backfield” players and must be positioned 2+ Yards from the Line of Scrimmage. 

​

  • Players positioned with 1-foot distance from Line of Scrimmage are “on” the Line of Scrimmage

 

SNAPPER PROTECTION

  • At the snap: No defensive player can be line up over the Center.

  • Penalty: DB + 5-yards

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POINT OF EMPHASIS

 

BALL CARRIERS

  • Are to remain upright; Normal running posture; While running all the way through to the end of the down.

  • Illegal: A ball carrier lunging/falling forward (thus protecting his flags).

 

PENALTY

  • Immediate Whistle ⋮ Down Ends  ⋮ No Yardage Deducted.

  • If a fall forward occurs in an attempt to cross the goal line: Penalty (Min 2-yards).

  • Ball placed at the 2 yard line, next down.

  • If this foul occurs on 4th down:  Change of Possession ⋮ Series Over 
     

COIN FLIP​​

  • Captains meet 2-mins before kickoff.

  • Visitors call heads/tails.

  • Winners choose to receive/defer.

  • Losers choose end of field to defend. 

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GAME CLOCK​

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RUNNING CLOCK SITUATIONS

  • Four (10)-Min Running Quarters

  • 5-Min Halftime

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STOP CLOCK SITUATIONS

  • Last 2-Min ⋮ Each Half

  • Score less than 24-Points

  • Change of Possession (incl. Kickoffs)

  • Incomplete Pass

  • Out of Bounds

  • Referee Time-Out

  • Touchdown

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TIME-OUTS

(3) Per Half ⋮ Per Team ⋮ 1-Min

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OVERTIME

No O/T during the regular season.
 

MISUNDERSTOOD

⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎ CLOCK RULE ⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

Officials are mis-applying:

Stopping the clock when it should run or 

Running the clock when it should stop.

​

¹Be aware of the league you are working.

²Don't argue rules unless you're 100% sure!​

​

TIEBREAKER​

APPLIES TO PLAYOFFS ONLY

​

  • (6) Points ⇢ Touchdown

  • (2) Points ⇢ Safety

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Point After Touchdown (PAT)

  • (1) Point   ⇢ 2-Yard Line

  • (2) Points ⇢ 5-Yard Line
     

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

  • The line parallel to the opponents goal line touching the point of the ball (aka YL). 
     

TOUCHDOWN​

Legal possession of the FB on or beyond the opponents goal. (PAT follows) 
 

SAFETY​

After a safety, the team scored upon (offense) will:

¹ Free Kick

² Place Kick

³ Drop kick from the 20-Yard Line
 

COURTESY/MERCY RULE​

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24-POINT COURTESY RULE​​

  • Clock Shall Run

  • All PAT’s are 1-Point solely

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35-POINT MERCY RULE

  • Losing team has the option to continue play.

  • Referees shall verify the losing coaches option.

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TOUCHBACK​​

If a runner loses possession (fumbles the ball fwd) before the goal line,  and the ball lands in the end zone, the ball is dead. 
 

OFFENSIVE PENALTIES​

​​

Section Ⓐ 

Penalty ⋮ 5-Yards ⋮ Line of Scrimmage

Replay -YES -

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DELAY OF GAME: 

  • 25-sec clock expired or ball snapped before the whistle.

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FALSE START: 

  • A shift/feigned move simulating action at the snap.

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OFF SIDES: 

  • Player positioned pass the point of the ball.

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ILLEGAL FORMATION: 

  • Less than 5-players on the Line of Scrimmage.

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ILLEGAL MOTION: 

  • Player moves towards Line of Scrimmage before snap. 

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ILLEGAL TOUCHING: 

  • Center + 2-Guards

  • No catching or running the ball. 

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ILLEGAL SHIFT: 

  • Offense not set for 1-sec before the snap. 

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INELIGIBLE DOWNFIELD: 

  • Center + 2-Guards

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Section Ⓑ

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Penalty ⋮ 10-Yards ⋮ End of Run

Replay ⋮ - NO -

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​Defined as disconcerting actions, verbiage, behavior towards: 

  • Officials ⋮ Players ⋮ Coaches ⋮ Administrators ⋮ Spectators ​​​

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Section Ⓒ 

Penalty ⋮ 10-Yards ⋮ SPOT

Replay ⋮ - YES -

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UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS 

  • Charging directly into the opponent.

  • All contact deemed unnecessary. 

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HOLDING: 

  • Illegal use of hands. 

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ILLEGAL BLOCK​

  • In the back.

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FLAG GUARDING

  • Stiff-arming. 

  • Use of hand/elbow to ward off opponents attempt to pull the flag.

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OFFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE 

  • Line of Scrimmage.​

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Section Ⓓ 

Penalty ⋮ 5-Yards ⋮ Line of Scrimmage

Loss of Down ⋮ No Replay

​​​​

  • Intentional Grounding

  • Illegal touching by O. Lineman

  • Illegal forward pass

  • Hide-Outs less than 5-yards from sideline​

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Section Ⓔ 

Penalty ⋮ Illegal Procedure

Dead at Spot ⋮ No Replay

​​​​

  • Fall into End Zone (Place ball @ 2-yardline)

  • Jumping; Lunging; Falling forward = SPOT

  • Player "spinning" is ok. 

  • Improperly worn or missed flags. 

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DEFENSIVE PENALTIES​

​​

Section Ⓕ 

Penalty ⋮ 5-Yards ⋮ Line of Scrimmage

Replay -YES-​​

​

  • Off Sides.

  • Charging Kicker (Cross Line of Scrimmage before kick). ​

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Section Ⓖ 

Penalty ⋮ 10-Yards ⋮ End of Run

Replay -YES-

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HOLDING: 

  • Restricting runner before flag pullage.

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TACKLING:

  • Defender not playing the Runner Flag,

  • Includes pushing the Runner. 

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UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS: 

  • Of any nature, on any player. ​

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Section Ⓗ 

Penalty ⋮ 10-Yards ⋮ Line of Scrimmage

Replay -YES-​

​​

  • Defensive Pass Interference (DPI)

  • Replay Down​​

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Section Ⓘ 

Spot Fouls Penalty Enforcement

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  • Holding

  • Block in the back

  • Personal Fouls (that are Spot Fouls)​

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Case Play

After a penalty is accepted for holding

and the down ended w/the offense moving the ball into the next zone ‘first down’ 

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It will not be a 1st down if the yardage minus/deduction places the ball back inside the previous zone.

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CODE OF CONDUCT​​

¹ Shirts must be tucked in.

² Athletic shoes are mandatory.

³ Flags must be positioned on both sides at the waist AT ALL TIMES during play. 
 

OFFENSE​

  • ​Has 25-seconds to snap the ball (after the ready whistle).

  • Has 4-downs to advance to Line To Gain.

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  • A ball on or over the lines is a new series (1st Down)

  • Ball is spotted at the center of the field (all plays).

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  • 1st Downs ⋮ A new series 4-plays for the offense.

  • Field is marked with (3) Line-To-Gains (20 - 40 - 20) Yard Lines

  • Each yard line, a new series is given to Offense @ midfield. 
     

LEGAL FORMATION

 

E   G C G    E

  • Offense with 5 players on the line of scrimmage and (ends covering up the interior lineman).

  • or (Must have an "end" on each side of the line)

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MOTION

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AT THE SNAP:

  • Only (1) offensive player can be in motion (not towards the Line of Scrimmage). ​

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FALSE START

  • A shift or feigned move that simulates action at the snap.  
     

SHIFT

  • All offensive players may shift positions, but must come to a stop/still for 1-sec before the snap

  • QB or RB motion is canceled during the shift. 
     

LATERALS & BACKWARD PASSES

  • Passes that touch the ground are DEAD BALL.

  • A pass towards the opponents end-line is incomplete if the ball hits the ground. 
     

PASSES THROWN BEYOND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

  • Are illegal at the spot. 
     

2 PASSES

  • ᴬ During the down are legal. 

  • ᴮ 1st pass ⋮ Behind the Line of Scrimmage ⋮ Backwards Direction 
     

QB's FLAG

  • A QB's flag that falls off: 

  • Dead Ball @Spot ⋮ No Pass
     

MISSING FLAG & TACKLING

​

Any ball carrier possessing the ball, missing a flag is a:

  • Dead Ball ⋮ Down Ended ⋮ No Replay​​

  • If flag discovered missing ⋮ The Point After TD is “no good” 
     

TACKLING

  • A player receiving a pitch or pass may NOT have his flag pulled early.

  • IF YES: Ball is live ⋮ 1-hand touch or flag pull ends the down. 
     

END ZONE INTERCEPTION

  • A pass intercepted in the End Zone may be advanced.

  • On Point After Touchdown an interception in the End Zone = DEAD BALL
     

LEGAL CONTACT ON THE RECEIVER

  • By the defense, is allowed within 5-yards of the Line of Scrimmage
     

PASS INTERFERENCE

​

Offensive (OPI) or Defensive (DPI)

  • ​10-yard penalty from Line of Scrimmage.

  • Down Replayed.
     

A BALL FUMBLED UPWARD

  • May be caught and advanced by both teams.
     

PUNTING

​

  • 4 Receiving team players on the Line of Scrimmage.

  • Head Coach must declare his option on 4th Down (Go for it, or punt).

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FREEZE PUNT

  • ​All players shall freeze until ball is punted.​

  • The ball is “dead” until kicked.

  • Punter may punt if the ball is dropped.

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FOLLOWING THE SNAP

  • Punter has 5-seconds to punt​

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MUFFED BALL DURING THE PUNT

  • Is a Dead Ball.

  • If touched first by the kicking team (becomes a Dead Ball) 
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© 2020 by Ace 5on5. 

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