Games have 2- 20 minute halves.

Teams consist of 8 people, maximum of 6 guys, at least 2 girls

**Cost will be $50 per team 

 

Referees have complete authority and will judge according to these rules with good sportsmanship in mind.

All players, coaches, and fans shall be subject to good sportsmanship

North Field will be 80 yds in length. South Field (once playable) will also be 80 yards in length. (2011)

The field will be marked in 20 yard increments.

Ball markers will be used to mark the line of scrimmage and a 1 yard neutral zone.

No player may play on more than one team or switch teams once they have played any part of one game for a team.

 

Each team may use their own football subject to the discretion of the referee.

Create your own jersey!

Each team must bring both a light and dark colored shirt to each game to use as a jersey.

The color of each team will be decided at the field and teams with actual uniforms (jerseys or team T-shirts) will be given color priority.

All shirts/jerseys/upper body clothing must be tucked into pants/shorts to reveal the flag belt.

Each player on the field must wear flags. Flag belts are to be worn above all clothing, with jerseys/shirts tucked in shorts/pants.

Shoes are required.

Molded and screw-in spikes are allowed as long as the screw-in spikes are NOT metal tipped.

Football and winter gloves are allowed.

Watches are not allowed

Players may not play with hard casts

Shoulder padding is illegal.

Players may not wear towels attached to the waist

Players are suggested to remove any jewelry, including any earrings or other types of piercing and if they play with them in, each person plays at their own risk. If jewelry is excessive, the other team may ask the person in question to remove their jewelry.

Any player violating these rules must leave the field of play and may not re-enter the playing field until the violation is solved. Any player re-entering the field without fixing the violation will receive an unsportsmanlike conduct 10 yard penalty, and be asked to leave again until violated is corrected.

 

            The ball is considered in play when the official has signaled so.

            There will be no kickoffs.

Each game will begin with a coin flip with the visiting team choosing the option. The winning team may choose to defer, take the ball, or take a side. You only get one first choice in a game. Other team gets first choice in second half.

Ball is placed on the 15 yard line at the beginning of a half, after touchdowns, safeties, and touchbacks.

There must be at least 5 players on the line of scrimmage set for at least one second before the snap of the ball or the team will incur a 5 yard illegal procedure penalty.

Each play will begin with a “shotgun” snap to a player that is at least two yards behind the center.

Direct center-quarterback snaps are illegal.

Illegal snaps are subject to a five yard penalty and a replay of the down.

There will be an offensive play clock of 35 seconds that begins once the referee has set the ball.

After incomplete passes where the ball is thrown away, it is the offensive team’s responsibility to obtain the football and the play clock will begin once the ball is set as long as the offensive team does not delay in obtaining the football. Slow retrieval of the ball or not starting the play before the play clock expires is a delay of game penalty, 5 yards.

Fumbles are considered dead balls where the ball hits the ground, which includes snaps.

The football will always be marked in the middle of the filed, there are no hash marks.

 

A college style overtime format will be used. Each overtime period will begin with a coin flip with the visiting team choosing the option. The winning team may choose to defer, take the ball, or take a side. The ball will be placed at the 20 yard line and the offensive team has 4 downs to go 20 yards and score. This is not sudden death, both teams have a chance to score. If the game remains tied at the end of three overtime periods, teams must go for a two point conversion after a score.

 

Touchdowns are worth six points except when a female player either throws or otherwise scores a touchdown. A touchdown scored or thrown by a female player is worth eight points. On the extra point, a team may attempt a 1-point conversion from the 3 yard line, a 2-point conversion from the 10 yard line, or a 3-point conversion from the 20 yard line.

Extra points are run as an un-timed down.

A safety is worth two points.

 

There are two 20 minute halves with a running clock

The clock will stop when:

A team calls a timeout (a team is awarded TWO timeouts per half, timeouts last 1 minute)

At the two minute warning and restarts once the ball is re-set

During the two minute warning the clock will stop when:

There is an incomplete pass

A ball-carrier goes out of bounds

Change of possession

First down and will restart when the referee sets the ball for play

Upon a penalty and will restart once the ball is re-set

 

Offensive huddles consist of the players of the offensive team.

If more than 8 people break an offensive huddle together, there is a 5 yard illegal procedure penalty.

Offensive players may not enter the field of play from the sideline immediately before the snap, this is a 5 yard illegal procedure.

There are no fake punts.

On any down, a team may elect to punt

On every fourth down, the referee shall ask the offensive team if they wish to punt or go-for-it. The offensive team must make the decision to punt within 10 seconds.

Once an offensive team elects to punt, they must punt the football.

The actual punt play consists of these things:

The offensive team must have everyone on the line except the punter

There will be no snap. The punter will stand 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage and punt the ball.

No offensive player may run down the field until the ball is punted. If this rule is violated, there is a penalty that shall be assessed as follows:

The defense may elect to decline the penalty

The defense may accept the 5 yard illegal procedure penalty and redo the kick.

There must be 5 defensive players on the LOS. Failure to do so will result in a 5 yd penalty

Once the ball is punted, it may be fielded by a defensive player and advanced. If the ball hits the ground, a player may pick up the ball cleanly in order to advance. Otherwise, ball is dead at the spot of touch, regardless of the ball rolling behind or in front of the “toucher”. Dead at spot of touch. If the punted ball first hits the ground, and the returning team decides not to advance the ball, offense will start from the spot where the ball stops rolling, goes out of bounds, or where the punting team touches the ball. The punting team cannot EVER recover the ball during or after the punt on that play.

 

--First downs are achieved after the first crossing of each 20 yard increment (i.e., a maximum of three first downs may be achieved without receiving penalties per offensive possession, one at the defensive 20, one at midfield [40 yard line], and one at the offense 20).

--The offense may snap the ball on any cadence.

--If an offensive player is caught not wearing a flag belt before the snap, 5 yard illegal procedure, redo the down. When any player is not wearing a flag and has the ball, they may be down by one hand touch. The referee can only penalize a player if he/she notices the player without a flag before AND after the snap. In other words, the referee must be sure the player started the play without a flag. If there is doubt, no penalty can be issued.

--An offensive player may move toward the line of scrimmage as the ball is snapped (Motion) but must be lined up in the receiver position. The receiver may not motion if they are on the line once the “Set” is called (if this happens 5yrd penalty).

--Any offensive player simulating the start of the play is a false start, 5 yard penalty, redo the down.

--Offensive blocking MUST consist of hand behind the back and screen blocking. No contact shall be initiated by the offensive lineman. Using the hands to block or initiate contact is a 10 yard illegal blocking penalty, redo the down.

--Every offensive player is an eligible receiver.

--A legal catch consists of possession of the football and one foot or one knee in bounds.

--A ball carrier is considered down when his knee or butt hits the ground.

--Any offensive player interfering, blocking, or screening the defense while a pass is in the air shall be called for offensive pass interference, 10 yard penalty from the line of scrimmage, redo the down.

--Stiff arms and flag guarding are illegal and are 10 yard penalties that are marked from the spot of the foul, down as played (if penalty occurred during 2^nd down play, 3^rd down is the next down).

--Tying the flags, instead of clipping them normally, is subject to 10 yd unsportsmanlike penalty; after a score, player must stop, and let the ref check flag belt to ensure the player has not illegally tied the belt.

--Any ball carrier initiating contact with any defensive player is a personal foul, 10 yards from the spot of the foul, down as played.

--Having more than 8 players on the field is an illegal procedure 5 yard penalty, redo the down.

--Intentionally throwing the ball away to avoid a sack when there is no receiver in the vicinity is an intentional grounding penalty of 10 yards with loss of down.

 

--If a defensive player is caught not wearing a flag belt before the snap, 5 yard illegal procedure penalty.

--if a defensive player crosses the neutral zone, automatic 5 yard offsides penalty

--A “tackle” is made when a defender pulls the flag belt off of the ball carrier. The defender is asked to drop the flag where he pulled it, in order to aid the referees in marking the spot of the ball.

--A defender may not initiate contact with an offensive player with any part of his/her body including the hands, arms, shoulders. Defensive players must run around the offensive blockers to down a ball carrier. Initiating contact is a 10 yard personal foul penalty. If the personal foul occurred behind the line of scrimmage (LOS), the penalty will be assessed from the LOS. If in front of the LOS, penalty taken from the spot of the foul.

--Any defender may not initiate contact with the football when an offensive player has possession. This includes when the quarterback is in the motion of throwing. The ball may be deflected after it has left the hands of the QB. Initiating contact with the football when an offensive player has possession is an initiating ball contact penalty, 10 yards.

Stripping the ball from an offensive player is not allowed. This is an initiating ball contact penalty, 10 yards.

--Any defender physically tackling a ball carrier is subject to a personal foul, unnecessary roughness penalty of 15 yards from the spot and an automatic first down. There is also a warning issued and any player committing two of these penalties in one game will be ejected from the game and asked to leave the playing fields and area.

--Any contact with an offensive receiver while the ball is in the air, other than incidental contact that includes both players attempting to catch the ball, is a pass interference penalty of 10 yards and an automatic first down.

--Any holding of an offensive player is defensive holding, 10 yard penalty from the line of scrimmage, and an automatic first down.

--Defenders must line up outside of the neutral zone. Crossing the neutral zone before the snap is a 5 yard offside penalty.

--If a defender goes into the neutral zone and causes an offensive player to false start, the defense is charged with a 5 yard encroachment penalty.

 

Any offensive player who already has possession of the football may not dive including an attempt to reach a first-down marker, the endzone, or to avoid a safety. Diving will result in a 10 yard penalty with loss of down.

Offensive players may dive when attempting to catch a pass.

Defensive player may dive when attempting to defend a pass OR when attempting to grab a flag. NOTE: any defensive dive resulting in physical contact with the offensive player will result in an illegal contact or pass-intereference penalty. 

 

Each team must have four total offensive touches by girls. An offensive touch is considered to happen when a female throws a pass, is the target of an offensive pass (this pass may be a completion or if it is incomplete, must have been in the vicinity of the female and this ruling is determined by the official), or runs the ball (and either is sacked in the backfield or makes a positive yardage run, handing the ball to a girl and having her hand the ball to another guy does not count as an offensive touch). Snapping the ball is not considered an offensive touch by a girl. Also, there can only be one maximum girl touch on a play. A girl QB handing off or throwing to another girl constitutes only one girl touch, not two. Teams that do not satisfy this condition will be subject to a 7 point penalty at the end of the game.

 

Good sportsmanship in intramurals is required. Fighting, attempts to start a fight, abuse of the officials, and unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Any person who fights in a game will be reported to the Coordinator of Recreation and Fitness and will serve a two game suspension. The suspension will include the game of the fight and the following game. Furthermore the team will be fined $25. Players attempting to start a fight during a game will be issued a warning and will be reported to the league commissioner. A second attempt to start a fight in the same game will warrant a two game suspension that includes the game of the fighting attempts and the following game. A $25 dollar fine will be issued to the team. Abuse of the officials will be reported to the Coordinator of Recreation and Fitness and during the game will result in a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty. A second penalty will result in the ejection of the player from the game and the player will be asked to leave the playing fields. Continual abuse of the officials will warrant a full season suspension. Referees hold the authority to issue unsportsmanlike penalties for behavior unbecoming of an intramural athlete. Any person associated with the team, including player, coaches, and fans are subject to unsportsmanlike penalties if required. Excessive poor sportsmanship will be dealt with harshly. Any player receiving two ejections or suspensions in any intramural sports season will be banned from all intramural sports for the entire academic year. We will not tolerate abusive behavior from any individual. Intramural sports are meant to be fun and well-structured events to get some good exercise and healthy competition.

It is expected that the captain of each team emails the results of each game to the football commissioner or kelsey.deacon@rosalindfranklin.edu If results are not emailed by the Monday following each game, both teams will be assigned a loss.

Individuals within the league will referee each game. Each week teams will be assigned to designate one or two players to serve as a referee of another football game. Please do not have people from your team referee if their football knowledge is weak. The referee schedule will be given out with the actual game schedule. There will be two referees per game. One referee will be the referee and the other will be the linesman. The referee will be in charge of marking and setting the ball, walking off penalties, assessing penalties and the game clock. The referee will stand behind the offense. The linesman will stand at the end of the line of scrimmage and will be in charge of the play clock and assessing penalties. Both officials are expected to have a working knowledge of the rules and try their best. The linesman will focus on penalties down the field while the referee concentrates on penalties near the line and in the backfield