PACCO Flag Football Rules

Forward

The PACCO flag football league was founded in 1980 to provide recreation and fellowship for PACCO members. The purpose of these rules is to increase enjoyment of the game by providing a common basis for play.

These rules were developed primarily for the post-season tournament. Teams should also follow these rules during regular-season games, but may modify the rules as necessary if both captains agree to the changes. In particular, the rules in Section 8, Officials and Their Duties, will usually be relaxed for regular season games. Instead, players may officiate the game themselves or designate substitutes to be officials.

If you have any questions about these rules or suggested improvements, please contact your coach or the PACCO flag football coordinator.

Contents

1. Objectives

2. Playing Field

3. Equipment

4. Players

5. Before the Game Begins

6. The Game

6.1. Time Factors

6.2. Downs and series of downs

6.3. Snaps

6.4. Hand offs and passes

6.5. Screening / Blocking

6.6. Ball ready for play, live ball, and dead ball

6.7. Punts

6.8. Touchback

6.9. Scoring

6.10. Tie-breaking procedure

1 Objectives

PACCO flag football is a game between two teams of eight players, of whom four at most are males. The teams play in agreement with these rules on a regulation field. The object of each team is to win by scoring more points.

2 Playing Field

The field shall be a rectangular area with a length of 8-=100 yards plus 10-yard end zones and a width of 45-50 yards. In case of facility limitations, the length and width may be modified.

The lines bounding the sides and the end zones shall be out-of-bounds in their entirety.

Soft pylons shall be placed at the four intersections of the goal ines and side lines.

3 Equipment

Ball. The ball shall be covered with leather, plastic, or rubber and meet the recommendations for size and shape for regulation football. Each team shall supply a legal ball and use it when in possession of the ball during the game. The referee shall be the sole judge of any ball offered for play and may change the ball.

Flags. Each player on the field shall wear a belt at the waistline with two flags attached by Velcro. There shall be a flag on each side of the body. Each flag shall hang from the waist at least 14 inches. Flags shall be at least 2 inches wide and 16 inches long. Players shall not wrap, tie, or secure the flags to the uniform or belt other than by Velcro. Foul: Illegal equipment

Markers. Two small, soft objects shall be used to mark the line of scrimmage and the line to gain in a series of downs.

Illegal equipment. No player wearing illegal equipment shall be permitted to play. Illegal equipment shall include (a) helmets, (b) padded uniforms, (c) shoulder ads, (d) hard substance on the hands, wrist, forearms, or elbows, (e) metal or other hard substance projecting from a player’s person or clothing, (f) metal shoe cleats, and (g) equipment that would confuse or endanger other players. For players who handle the ball, illegal equipment shall also include (h) shorts with pickets and (i) clothing or attachments that tend to conceal the ball or flags by closely resembling them in color. Foul: Illegal equipment.

4 Players

Roster. Each team shall consist of eight players plus substitutes. No more than four males per team shall play on the field at a time. A team must have at least size players to start a game.

Substitution. Players may be substituted freely between downs. Teams shall not use substitution to deceive an opponent. Foul: Unsportsmanlike conduct.

5 Before the Game Begins

Playing conditions. The PACCO flag football coordinator, with advice from the captains, shall decide if weather or other conditions make the field unsuitable for play. If so, the game shall be postponed or canceled, (For regular-season games, the home-team captain shall decide if weather conditions are not suitable for playing and inform the visiting-team captain if so.)

Coin toss. Before the start of the game, the referee shall toss a coin in the presence of opposing team captains. Before tossing the coin, the referee shall designate which captain shall call the fall of the coin. The captain winning the toss shall choose one of the following options: (a) to start the first half on offense or defense, (b) to designate which goal to defend in the first half, or (c) to first choose either of the previous two options at the start of the second half. If the winner of the toss chooses option (a) or (b), then the loser shall have the option (a) or (b) that remains. If the winner chooses option (c), then the loser shall choose between option (a) or (b), and the winner shall have the option (a) or (be) that remains. For the second half, the captains shall have options (a) and (b) as described above except that the order of choosing shall be reversed.

Ball placement at start of play. Each half shall start with the ball on the 20-yard line. There shall be no kickoff.

6 The Game

6.1. Time factors

Halves. The playing time shall consist of two halves. Each half shall consist of 40 minutes plus seven plays. During the 40-minute portion of the half, the clock shall only be stopped for time-outs and injuries. A play started before the end of a 40-minute period shall continue until the ball is dead. If a penalty is accepted for a foul by either team on the last down of a 40-minute period, the half shall be extended by one play. There shall be a 10-minute intermission between halves.

Seven-play period. Extra-point plays and plays with an assessed penalty without loss of down shall not count as a play for the seven-play period. Punts shall count as plays. If during the second seven-play period it is not possible for the team with fewer points to win, the game shall end.

Shortening of game. Anytime during the game, the playing time may be shortened by mutual agreement of the opposing captains and the referee. When weather conditions are so hazardous, the referee shall delay or suspend the game.

Time-outs. Each team shall be allowed one, 1-minute time-out per half.

Delaying the start of a half. At the beginning of each half, each team shall have its players on the field for the opening play at the scheduled time, and all players shall have their flags in legal position. Foul: Not ready at start of half.

Delay of game. The following are delay-of-game fouls: (a) consuming more than 25 seconds in putting the ball in play after it is ready for play and (b) deliberately advancing a ball after it is dead. If a team fails to play within two minutes after being ordered to do so by the referee, the team shall forfeit the game.

6.2. Downs and series of downs

The team in possession of the ball shall have a series of four consecutive downs to advance 10 yards (the “line to gain”); otherwise, possession of the ball shall pass to the other team. A down may be repeated if provided for by the rules. The most forward point of the ball when declared dead between the goal lines shall be the determining point in establishing distance gained or lost by either team in a down. An exception is that when the ball becomes dead due to deflagging, the ball carrier’s hips shall be the determining point.

A new series of downs shall be awarded (a) at the beginning of a half, (b) when a team moves the ball past the line to gain at the end of one of the downs in a series, including the result of any penalties, (c) or the defensive team has gained possession of the ball.

6.3. Snaps

All plays from scrimmage shall be started by legal snap approximately equidistant to the side lines. The ball shall not be snapped until it is ready for play. The snapper, after assuming position for the snap and adjusting the ball, shall not simulate the beginning of play until the ball is snapped. Throwing the ball from an upright position shall be an acceptable snap. The ball shall be snapped in a direction perpendicular to the line of scrimmage. When the ball is snapped, all offensive players shall be inbounds, and at least four players on the offense shall be on the line of scrimmage. The offensive players shall remain stationary at least one second before the snap, except for one player who may be in motion. A player in motion shall not be in motion towards the opponent’s goal line and shall be at least 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. No offensive player on the line of scrimmage shall receive the snap. Foul: Illegal procedure.

Players shall not cross the line of scrimmage before the snap. Foul: Offsides.

6.4. Hand offs and passes

Hand offs. A ball carrier may hand the ball backward at any time. No player shall hand the ball forward unless both teammates are behind the line of scrimmage. Foul: Illegal forward pass.

Backward passes. A ball carrier may pass the ball backward at any time. A backward pass may be caught in flight by any player and advanced. A backward pass that goes out-of-bounds between goal lines shall belong to the team last in possession of the ball at the out-of-bounds spot. If out-of-bounds behind a goal line, a touchback (if the team last in possession is not defending the goal) or a safety (if the team last in possession is definding the goal) shall be declared.

Forward passes. Before possession has changed, a forward pass may be thrown provided the ball, when it leaves the passer’s hand, is behind the line of scrimmage. Only one forward handoff or pass is permitted during a down. The passer shall not intentionally throw the ball to the ground. Foul: Illegal forward pass.

A forward pass shall be completed when caught by any player of the passing team who is not out-of-bounds and has one foot inbounds; the ball shall continue in play. All players of both teams shall be eligible to catch a pass. If the pass is caught simultaneously by opponents, the ball shall become dead and belong to the passing team at spot of simultaneous catch. A forward pass shall be incomplete when it (a) touches the ground, (b) goes out-of-bounds, (c) is caught by a player who has one foot on the ground out-of-bounds, or (d) is caught by a player who went out-of-bounds, unless the ball was touched by an opponent. An incomplete forward pass shall belong to the passing team at the previous spot unless position is lost on downs.

Pass interference. Any contact initiated by a player that interferes with an eligible receiver during a legal forward pass shall be pass interference unless the players are each making a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to catch, touch, or bat the ball. Foul: Pass interference

Quarterback Running:

The quarterback can run with the ball an unlimited number of downs, however, the maximum yardage gained beyond the line of scrimmage per run is capped to the first down marker.

6.5. Screening

Screening behind the line of scrimmage: Screening is obstructing an opponent and shall only be permitted by offensive players behind their line of scrimmage (considered a block – see below).

- Blockers must position themselves with their shoulders square to the charging defensive player.

- Blockers must hold their elbows and knees in, and keep their hands and arms behind their backs and inactive. Foul: Illegal procedure.

- Blockers shall not contact charging defensive players by moving sideways into the charging defender or sticking out their arms or legs. Foul: Illegal procedure.

- Charging defensive players shall avoid contact with players who are screening legally with their bodies squared up and their hands and arms behind their backs. The onus is on the charging defensive player to avoid contact. The rushers will be penalized when contact is made with screeners, as long as, the screener keeps arms/hands behind their back and do not lean/lunge into the rusher. Foul: Illegal procedure.

- Charging defensive players must avoid contact with players who are screening legally.

Screening down field. During a passing down, offensive players shall not screen or pick a defensive player down field. Offensive players shall avoid defensive players while running their patterns. Teammates of the ball carrier shall not interfere in any way with opposing players’ attempts to deflag the ball carrier past the line of scrimmage or after a change of possession. Foul: Illegal screen.

6.6. Ball ready for play, live ball, and dead ball

Ball ready for play. The ball shall be ready for play when the referee spots the ball and blows a whistle to signal that the ball is ready for play. The referee shall not signal that the ball is ready for play until all players are within 10 yards of the ball.

Live ball. The ball shall be live (or in play) from the time the ball is snapped until lthe ball is declared dead.

Dead ball. A live ball shall become dead and the down shall end when

(a) the ball goes out-of-bounds,

(b) Any part of the ball carrier’s body touches out-of-bounds,

(d) A touchdown, extra point, safety, or touchback is made,

(e) During an extra point play, the defensive team obtains possession of the ball,

(f) A player of the punting team recovers a punt,

(g) An untouched, punted ball comes to rest and no player attempts tot recover it,

(h) A forward pass is incomplete,

(i) A forward pass is caught simultaneously by opposing players

(j) A backward pass, fumble, or snap touches the ground,

(k) A ball carrier is deflagged,

(l) A ball carrier who is missing a flag comes into possession of the ball,

(m) A punted ball touches the ground after touching a player, or

(n) An official inadvertently blows the whistle.

6.7. Punts

When a punt is to be made, the offensive team shall announce its intention to punt before the ball is ready for play. The receiving team shall have at least five players on the line of scrimmage. Those five players shall not move from their position during the punt. Foul: Illegal procedure.

The punter must punt the ball immediately after receiving the snap. Foul: Delay of game.

A punted ball that is caught or cleanly recovered off the ground by a player on the receiving team shall continue in play. No player of the kicking team shall hinder a receiving player’s attempt to catch a punt if the punt goes past the line of scrimmage. Foul: Interfering with a punt catch. There shall be no fair catches. If the ball is dropped by a player of the receiving team, the ball shall be dead at the spot where it was touched. When a punt bounces off a player of the receiving team, the ball may be caught by a member of either team and advanced. A punted ball that is first touched by the punting team shall be dead and spotted either where the ball was touched or where it touched the ground, whichever is more advantageous to the receiving team.

6.8. Touchback

A touchback in when (a) a punted ball goes out-of-bounds through the receiving team’s end zone, (b) a player from the kicking team catches a punt in the receiving team’s end zone, (c) a player from the receiving team catches a punt in the receiving team’s end zone and is deflagged, downs the ball, or fumbles the ball without having left the end zone, or (d) a defensive player catches a fumble or intercepts a pass in the defensive team’s end zone and downs the ball or is deflagged there.

After a touchback, the ball is place at the 20-yard line and is in possession of the team that defends the end zone where the touchback occurred.

6.9. Scoring

Points:

Touchdown by a female 7

Touchdown by a male 6

Extra point by a female 2

Extra point by a male 1

Safety 2

Exceptions

(1) If the line of scrimmage is within 10 yards of the opposing team’s goal line, and a male scores a touchdown on a running play, only 5 points shall be awarded,

(2) If a touchdown (or extra point) is scored by a female who received a backward pass past the line of scrimmage from a male teammate, only 6 points (o 1 point) shall be awarded.

(3) If a female passed a ball forward for a touchdown (or extra point), 7 points (or 2 points) shall be awarded

Touchdown. A touchdown is when a player with the ball in possession advances so that the player’s hips break the vertical plane passing through the opponent’s goal line, or a ball is caught in the air in the opponent’s end zone.

Extra point. After a touchdown is scored, an extra point(s) shall be attempted from the 3-yard line.

Safety. A safety occurs when (a) a player carries the ball across the goal line that the player defends, and while still in the player’s possession, the ball id declared dead in the end zone, (b) a player fumbles the ball in the end zone that the player defends (except for certain cases during a punt, in which case a touchback is declared instead), and (c) an offensive player commits a foul, the penalty would be measured from a spot within the end zone that the player defends, and the penalty is accepted by the defensive team. (Exception: When a player intercepts a pass or catches a punt between the 5-yard line and the player’s goal line, the player’s momentum carries him into the end zone the player defends, and the player makes no attempt to advance the ball from the end zone, the ball shall be spotted at the point where the ball was caught.) After a safety, the team that scored the safety shall have possession of the ball and begin a new series of downs at its 20-yard line.

6.10. Tie-breaking procedure

When a game ends in a tie score, the two captains shall be brought together for a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss shall choose which team first has possession of the ball or which goal both teams shall defend while on defense. The loser of the coin toss shall have the remaining option.

The ball shall be placed at mid-field, and the team that has possession of the ball first shall have four downs to try to score a touchdown and extra point. After four downs or the extra point play, the other team shall also have four downs to score. The team with the most points shall win the game.

If neither team scores, the team with the deepest penetration (after any of the four downs including penalty yards) shall win. If both teams score the same number of points or achieve the same depth of penetration, the tie-breaking procedure shall be repeated with the coin toss.

An interception shall result in the end of the four-down series for an offensive team. The deepest penetration prior to the interception shall be used in determining the winner if both teams score the same number of points in the tiebreaker.

7 Conduct of Players

The following types of conduct are fouls:

Acting in an unsportsmanlike manner. Players shall not taunt or verbally or physically abuse other players. Players shall not hurdle, clip, trip, block, or tackle other players. Players shall not use abusive or insulting language. Substitutes shall not interfere with plays. Teams shall not place players near the sideline who were not within 10 yards of the ball when it was declared ready-for-play. There shall be no unnecessary roughness. Players shall not pretend to pull a flag to cause an inadvertent whistle. Teams and players shall not commit unfair acts. Teams and players shall not conserver or consume playing time by unfair tactics. Players shall not commit fouls to prevent the opposing team from easily scoring. Players shall not intentionally commit a foul when their team has little or nothing to loas. Any foul shall be changed to unsportsmanlike conduct if committed as described above. Players who repeatedly act in an unsportsmanlike manner shall be suspended indefinitely from playing PACCO flag football.

Helping the runner. The ball carrier shall not hold a teammate or be held, pushed, or pulled by a teammate.

Holding. While attempting to remove a flag, defensive players shall not intentionally hold obstruct the ball carrier.

Illegal deflagging. A player shall not remove the flag of an opposing team’s player who does not have possession of the ball.

Protecting the flag. The ball carrier shall not obstruct a defensive player’s attempt to pull the flags by guarding the flags with hands, arms, or the ball or by lowering the shoulders.

Roughing the quarterback. No player shall touch the quarterback above the waist while the quarterback is throwing or just after the quarterback has thrown a pass.

Running out of control. The ball carrier shall not run out of control near other players, deliberately run into a defensive player, or initiate contact with a defensive player who has established position.

Stripping the ball. A player may not touch the ball or hands or arms of another player who has possession of or is bobbling the ball. Exception: Two players may make a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to catch or knock down a passed ball.

Violating the bubble zone. The bubble zone is a circle that is centered around the ball before it is snapped and that has a radius of 2 yards. No defensive player or offensive ball carrier shall enter the bubble zone until the snapper leaves it. The snapper shall not be eligible to receive a pass until the snapper leaves the bubble zone.

8 Officials and Their Duties

General. The officials shall be the referee, umpire, and linesman when three officials are used and the line judge when four are used. All officials shall have concurrent jurisdiction over any foul, and each shall share responsibility for the proper conduct of the game and enforcement of the rules.

All officials shall carry a whistle. The official who is covering the runner shall be primarily responsible for sounding the whistle when the ball becomes dead. Sounding the whistle shall be done quickly and loudly to stop action. The referee shall sound a whistle to indicate that the ball is ready for play.

When an official sees a foul, the official shall throw a foul marker, note the spot of the foul, and note the spot where the run ended. The official shall continue to attend to other assigned duties while the ball is alive. When the down ends, the referee shall be informed of the foul. The referee shall announce the foul before explaining the options to the offended captain.

If there is a difference of opinion, testimony, or interpretation, the referee shall make the final decision.

Referee. The referee shall have general supervision and control of the game, be the final authority for the score, be sole judge of forfeiture of the game by rule, administer penalties, and decide upon all matters not specifically placed under the jurisdiction of the other officials.

Before a game, the referee shall inspect the field and discuss any ground rules with the captains and other officials.

After each time-out and before play is resumed, the referee shall make sure that both teams and all officials are ready.

The referee’s normal position shall be behind and to the side of the team on offense for all plays except punts. For punts, the referee shall be behind the punt returners.

Umpire. The umpire shall have primary jurisdiction over the legality of equipment and keep the game time if there is no line judge. During each play, the umpire shall be particularly responsible for observing line play, but shall also cover open play that develops after linesmen make their initial charge. The umpire’s normal position shall be behind the team on defense for all plays except punts. Umpires shall adjust their position to the defensive formation and avoid interfering with the vision or movement of defensive players. For a punt, the umpire shall be on the line of scrimmage.

Linesman. The linesman shall have primary responsibility over the line of scrimmage, but shall also cover open play that develops on the linesman’s side of the field. The linesman shall assist the referee in marking the progress of the ball and keep an accurate count of the downs. The linesman’s normal position shall be on the line of scrimmage, but well clear of all players.

Line judge. The line judge shall have primary jurisdiction over the timing of the game and shall act for the referee on downfield play. The line judge’s normal position I son the side of the field opposite the linesman, either on the line of scrimmage or on the defensive team’s side of the field.

9 Enforcement of Penalties

Procedure after a foul. When a dead-ball foul occurs, the officials shall stop further play, if any. A dead-ball foul is one that occurs after the ball is dead and before or during a snap (or the kick during a punt). When a live-ball foul occurs, the play shall continue as if no foul were committed. After a foul occurs, the referee shall notify the offended team's captain of the options and administer the penalty. The offended team's captain may decline a penalty.

The Table of Fouls and Penalties lists the fouls, their penalties, and where in the rules the foul is described.

Multiple fouls. When a dead-ball foul follows a live-ball foul, the penalties shall be administered separately and in the order of occurrence. When both teams commit live ball fouls during the same live ball period and (a) there is no change of team possession or (b) there was a change of team possession and the team in possession at the end of the down had fouled prior the final change of possession, the penalties shall cancel and the down shall be replayed. If both teams foul during a down in which there is a change of possession, the team last gaining possession may retain the ball if that team did not foul prior to the final change of possession, and it declined the penalty for its opponent's foul. When the same team commits two or more live-ball fouls, only one penalty may be chosen. Exception: Unsportsmanlike conduct fouls are administered separately.

Special enforcement rules. Penalty yardage shall be reduced as necessary to prevent ball from being spotted past the offending team's 1-yard line. If a player in the offended team's end zone commits a foul that would normally be enfo