LOCAL FB Rules

STOP CLOCK SITUATIONS

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MISUNDERSTOOD

⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎ CLOCK RULE ⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

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

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

REQUIRED UNIFORM

¹ Shirts Tucked In

² Athletic Shoes

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.

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.

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.)

PENALTIES

Illegal procedure ⋮ No yardage deducted

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)

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.

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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.

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

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.

GAME CLOCK

RUNNING CLOCK SITUATIONS

Four (10)-Min Running Quarters
5-Min Halftime

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

TIME-OUTS

(3) Per Half ⋮ Per Team ⋮ 1-Min

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

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

24-POINT COURTESY RULE

Clock Shall Run
All PAT’s are 1-Point solely

35-POINT MERCY RULE

Losing team has the option to continue play.
Referees shall verify the losing coaches option.

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 -

DELAY OF GAME:

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

FALSE START:

A shift/feigned move simulating action at the snap.

OFF SIDES:

Player positioned pass the point of the ball.

ILLEGAL FORMATION:

Less than 5-players on the Line of Scrimmage.

ILLEGAL MOTION:

Player moves towards Line of Scrimmage before snap.

ILLEGAL TOUCHING:

Center + 2-Guards
No catching or running the ball.

ILLEGAL SHIFT:

Offense not set for 1-sec before the snap.

INELIGIBLE DOWNFIELD:

Center + 2-Guards

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Section Ⓑ

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Penalty ⋮ 10-Yards ⋮ End of Run

Replay ⋮ - NO -

Defined as disconcerting actions, verbiage, behavior towards:

Officials ⋮ Players ⋮ Coaches ⋮ Administrators ⋮ Spectators

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Section Ⓒ

Penalty ⋮ 10-Yards ⋮ SPOT

Replay ⋮ - YES -

UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS

Charging directly into the opponent.
All contact deemed unnecessary.

HOLDING:

Illegal use of hands.

ILLEGAL BLOCK

In the back.

FLAG GUARDING

Stiff-arming.
Use of hand/elbow to ward off opponents attempt to pull the flag.

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

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.

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-

HOLDING:

Restricting runner before flag pullage.

TACKLING:

Defender not playing the Runner Flag,
Includes pushing the Runner.

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

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’

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

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)

MOTION

AT THE SNAP:

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

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).

FREEZE PUNT

All players shall freeze until ball is punted.
The ball is “dead” until kicked.
Punter may punt if the ball is dropped.

FOLLOWING THE SNAP

Punter has 5-seconds to punt

MUFFED BALL DURING THE PUNT

Is a Dead Ball.
If touched first by the kicking team (becomes a Dead Ball)

Boys rules