Winter 5v5 Flag Footabll Rules
Any rule not specifically covered will be governed in accordance with the 2009 and 2010
NIRSA Flag and Touch Football Rules Book and Official’s Manual. Modifications have been
made to fit the LU IMS 5v5 Flag Football program.
I. Equipment
• Jewelry is not allowed. Medical or religious medallions must be removed, taped, or
sewn under the uniform.
• A head sweatband or stocking cap is permitted; however, billed hats, bandanas, and
“do-rags” are not permitted.
• Rubber, cloth or elastic bands may be used to control hair. Hard items such as beads,
barrettes, and bobby pins are not permitted.
• A guard, cast or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable plastic, metal
or any other hard substance, even though covered with foam padding, is not permitted
on the finger, hand, wrist, forearm or elbow.
• Supports are permitted on other parts of the body as long as they are soft and yielding
or all exposed metal and other hard parts are padded with at least ½ inch foam rubber
(or ¼ inch closed cell, slow recovery foam rubber).
• NO POCKETS OR BELT LOOPS, board shorts, pockets with zippers or hoodies are allowed.
All other forms of pockets on pants, shorts, or shirts are prohibited.
• Pants or shorts must be a different color than the flags you wear.
• Shirts or jerseys must be long enough to be tucked in or can be short enough to be a
minimum of four inches above the belt.
• Running shoes or shoes made specifically for indoor soccer are the only footwear
acceptable. There will be no cleats of any kind allowed on the field.
• Teams will be permitted to use their own ball as long as it is approved by the LU IMS
Supervisor.
II. Players
• The game shall be played between two teams of four players each. Three players are
required to avoid a forfeit.
• Rosters must be turned in before the first game. Maximum of 10 players per roster.
III. Play
Start of Game
• The captain winning the toss shall select offense, defense, or defer their choice to the
second half. The losing captain will select direction of play for the first half.
Timing
• The game shall consist of two (2) 20-minute halves.
• The clock will start on the snap to begin each half. It will run continuously for the 20
minutes unless stopped by a teams or referee’s timeout.
• If time expires and a defensive flag is initiated, one (1) un-timed offensive play will be
allowed.
• Each team is entitled to two (2) charged timeouts per game, including over times.
Time Clock will stop for all timeouts.
Scoring
• Breaking the vertical plane of the goal line with the football will score a touchdown
• Each touchdown will be worth six (6) points
• A team may try a PAT and go for one (1) point from the three (3) yard line or two (2)
points from the ten (10) yard line
• The defensive team may return a PAT for two (2) points regardless of whether it was a
try for one (1) or two (2) points
• A team scoring a safety will receive two (2) points and the ball on its own five (5) yard
line.
Mercy Rule
• The clock will run if a team is up by 19 or more points with one (1) minute remaining in
the contest.
The Field
• The field will be approximately 32 yards long and approximately 20 yards wide with
two (2) six-yard zones.
Putting the Ball in Play
• The ball shall be placed at the Team A goal-line to begin each half of a game and
following a PAT try, touchback, or safety, unless moved by penalty. Note: There are no
kicks.
Play
• Teams will have four (4) consecutive downs to advance to the end zone for the
touchdown.
• The offensive team must have at least one (1) player on their scrimmage line at the
snap.
• A Team A runner cannot advance the ball through Team A’s scrimmage line. There are
not restrictions after a change of possession or once a legal forward pass has been
touched beyond Team A’s scrimmage line.
• There must be a legal forward pass each down. Team A has seven (7) seconds to release
the ball on a
forward pass. If not, it is a loss of down and the ball is nextsnapped at the previous
spot. The referee will sound his whistle at seven (7) seconds if the passer has
possession of the football.
• The play clock shall be 20 seconds in length.
• The ball will become dead immediately upon contact with any netting or post (ceiling or
side).
• There will be no punts. If the offense fails to convert a touchdown, change of
possession will occur.
• The offensive team must have at least one player (besides center) on the line of
scrimmage at the snap.
• Interceptions may be returned in a game. When the player’s flag is pulled, the ball is
spotted at the spot where the flags are pulled.
• Rushing is allowed from seven (7) yards away from the line of scrimmage.
•
Overtime
• There will be no overtime during the regular season. Regular season games will end in a
tie.
• Overtime rules for the playoffs will be determined upon the end of the regular season
schedule.
IV. Fouls and Penalties
3 Yard Penalties
• Use of Illegal Equipment
• Delay of game
• False Start
• Encroachment
• Illegal Procedure
• Illegal Forward Pass (3 yards from the point of the pass and loss of down)
• Helping the runner: the runner shall not grasp a teammate or be grasped, pulled, or
pushed by a teammate
5 Yard Penalties
• Delaying the start of either half
• Two (2) or more consecutive encroachments during the same interval between downs
• Illegal participation
• Offensive pass interference (Loss of down)
• Defensive passinterference (Automatic first down)
• Illegally secured flag belt on TD (TD nullified and loss of down)
• Unsportsmanlike conduct
• Spiking the ball or not returning the ball to the official during the dead ball
• Attempting to steal the ball from the carrier
• Hurdling
• Unnecessary conduct of any sort
• Defensive illegal use of the hands
• Guarding the flag belt and stiff arming
• Illegal batting
• Illegal flag belt removal
• Personal foul
• Flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct (Ejection)
• Flagrant personal foul (Ejection)
• Intentional tampering with the flag belt (Ejection)
Tuesday/Thursday Games
• 7 Teams total
• Every team will have at least one bye
• $10 ref fee per game per team
6 game regular season w/ double elimination end of season tournament
• Tournament will be seeded how you place in regular season
• February 12 End of season Tournament
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