Flag Football

Schedule

Rules

I. Eligibility

All participants must be a current faculty, staff, paid alumni, or student of The Ohio State

University- Mansfield or North Central State College. An Alumni pass can be obtained for

a fee of $35 for the year.

II. The Game, Field, Players and Equipment

A. The game shall be played between 2 teams of 7-10 players each. 4 players are required

to avoid a default.

B. Each team will wear the same color flags that will be provided by the Recreation

Center.

C. The first downs are achieved by crossing the “zone line to gain.”

D. Men must use an official adult size & weight football. Teams will need to supply their

own ball.

E. The official field is located behind the Recreation Center at the Athletic Fields.

F. Shirts must be long enough so they remain tucked in the pants or shorts. It must remain

tucked in at all times.

G. A team shall be given a 10 yard unsportsmanlike penalty for players wearing illegal

equipment (pants or shorts that have belt loops, pockets, an exposed drawstring, no jewelry,

no caps, no metal cleats/metal screw in, or illegal wearing of the belt flags.)

H. Shoes: All players must wear athletic shoes made of soft-soled, leather, or canvas

composition. Metal spikes, baseball style, spikes, and cleats with metal exposed or screws on

cleats are prohibited. Any player caught wearing spikes will not be allowed to participate.

I. Pads or braces: No pads or braces may be worn above the waist. Leg and knee braces made

of hard unyielding material must be covered on both sides at all times.

J. Towels may not be attached at the player's waist.

III. Captain’s meeting

A. A coin toss shall be conducted during the captain’s meeting. The captain winning the toss

shall have these options:

Offense/defense or the side a team wants to defend.
The kicking option has been eliminated. A team who picks offense will take the ball at the
15 yard line.
B. In the second half both teams shall switch sides and the team who picked offense first
will play defense at the start of the second half.

IV. Periods, Time Factors, Substitutions

A. Playing time shall be 60 minutes, divided into two halves of 30 minutes each.

B. The clock will run continuously for the each half of the game until the last 2 minutes

of the game for first downs, incomplete passes, and/or running out of bounds. The clock

will be stopped an injury time out, official’s time out, team time out, a touchdown or

extra point. Clock will restart after the official has placed the ball in play, not at the snap

of ball.

V. Overtime:

A. The officials will administer a coin toss to determine offense/defense or side. The winner of

the coin toss will choose one of those options.

B. The first team on offense will have 4 downs to score a touchdown from the 20-yard line. If

defense intercepts the ball and scores a touchdown the game is over. If the player who intercepted

the ball fails to score the defensive team will take over at the 20-yard line and will have 4 downs to

score.

C. If a team scored a touchdown they shall try for an extra point at the 3-yard line for one point,

10-yard line for two points or 20-yard line for three points. The defense can intercept and score 1, 2

or 3 points. The defense will now have the opportunity to win from the 20 yard line with 4 downs.

D. If both team scored and is still tied the tie breaking process continues with 4 downs starting at

the 20 yard line. The team on defense first in the first round of overtime will be on offense and the

team on offense first in the first round of overtime will be on defense.

E. If both teams fail to score during the first overtime process the second overtime process will

start on the 10 yard line and each team will only have two downs to score a touchdown. The team

on defense first will be on offense for the second over time.

F. If both teams scored and the game is still tied during the second over time the over time process

will remain the same (start at the 10 yard line with 2 downs to score a touchdown).

G. If both teams failed to score in the second overtime, the third over time process will start at the

3 yard line and each team will have one down to score a touchdown.

H. Overtime process shall be used in all divisions.

I. No time outs during overtime. Time outs not used in regulation will not be carried over.

VI. Ball in Play, Dead Ball, Out of Bounds

A. A player or non-player is out of bounds when any part of him/her touches anything, other than

another player or a game official who is on or outside the sideline or end line. The player

touching the line is out of bounds. The line is out!

B. When any part of the runner other than a hand or foot touches the ground the ball is dead. (Knee,

shoulder, elbow= deadball!

C. Only one forward pass is allowed. When a backward pass, fumble, or snap touches the ground the

ball is dead and the ball is placed at the spot of the fumble.

D. When a runner has a flag belt removed legally by a defensive player the ball is dead.

E. NEW: When a runner has a flag belt partially removed and then the flag drops to the ground the

play shall be dead and the ball will be taken at the spot where the flag fell.

F. If a flag belt inadvertently falls to the ground, a two hand tag will constitutes a deadball.

G. Diving head first with the ball at any time shall not be allowed. 5 yard penalty at the spot of the foul

if there was no contact. 10 yard penalty if the diving player contacted another player. Diving to catch a

ball is legal. A defensive player diving to deflag an opponent is legal.

VII. Punts

A. When a punt touches the ground on or anywhere in a playable area, any player on the

receiving team may pick up the ball and run with it. If a receiver tries to catch the ball but

drops it the ball is live.

B. If a punt touches the ground that is behind the goal line a player may catch the ball and advance or

down the ball; whistle is blown and play is stopped immediately (touchback). A touchback will be

awarded to the receiving team. It’s a change of possession and the ball is placed on the 15-yard line.

Clock shall continue to run unless it’s the last 3 minutes of the game.

C. When a punt is to be made, the kicking team must announce to the referee of its intention.

D. The kicker must be at least 5 yards or more behind the scrimmage line. The Kicker in one

continuous motion must kick the ball. Penalty: Delay of game. 5 yard penalty, repeat 4th

down.

VIII. Snapping, Handing, and Passing the Ball

A. The offensive team must have at least 3 players on the line of scrimmage at the snap. The

defensive line of scrimmage is 1 yard off the ball.

B. All players of either team are eligible to touch or catch a pass.

C. Only one forward pass can be thrown per down.

D. A player must have at least a foot in bounds on all catches.

IX. Scoring Plays and Touchbacks

B. A safety is worth 2 points.

C. A defensive player intercepting a ball and running it back for a touchdown will be worth the

extra point (Whether it’s 1 point, 2 points or 3 points).

D. Once a player scores a touchdown an official shall remove the flag to ensure equipment is legal.

X. Blocking

A. Offensive Screen

The offensive screen block is legal.
The screen blocker shall have his/her hands and arms at his/her side or behind his/her back.
Any use of the arms, elbows, or legs to initiate contact during an offensive player's screen is illegal.

B. Defense

Defensive players must go around the offensive player's screen block.
The arms and hands may not be used to contact an opponent except when capturing a flag belt or
tagging a runner without a belt.
Holding, pushing, or tackling a runner is illegal.
C. Offense
Guarding of the flag belts with any part of the body to avoid being deflagged is illegal.
A player is not allowed to "stiff arm" a defending to avoid being deflagged.
A player may not deliberately drive or run into an opponent, or lower their head and shoulders,
causing any contact.

XI. Quarterback

A. Defensive players may not push, pull, hold, tackle, trip, or hit a quarterback while he/she is

attempting to make a play. (Roughing the passer, 10 yard penalty from the previous spot, automatic

first down.)

B. Quarterback may not push, flag guard, or stiff arm a defensive player while he/she is trying to go

for the flag. (10 yard penalty at the spot of the foul (repeat down).

XI. Mercy Rule.

A. A game shall end if a team with 20 points or more at the start or during the last 3 minutes of the

second half.

B. The clock will run continuously during the last three minutes of the second half if a team is ahead

by 15 points or more.

XII. Sportsmanship: Conduct of Players, spectators and fans

A. “Campus Recreation Staff and Intramural Staff reserves the right to deny participation

to anyone (player or spectator) that fails to demonstrate proper sportsmanship.” (CONDUCT

OF PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS: IM Player Handbook)

B. The Intramural Officials and Intramural Supervisors at the time of play shall have the power

to make decisions on any matters or questions not specifically covered in the Intramural Rules.

C. “Any protest or player ejection ruling will be reviewed by the Intramural Sportsmanship

Advisory Board. The Intramural Director will make the final ruling on these issues and matters

not covered in the UCI Intramural Rule Book or in the Intramural Players Handbook.”

(INTRAMURAL SPORTSMANSHIP ADVISORY BOARD: IM Player Handbook).

D. All teams will have to have a rating of at least a “C” letter grade to be eligible for the playoffs.