FLAG FOOTBALL RULES MEN’S (6v6) 

START OF GAME/GAME PLAY: A coin toss will determine starting possession. The winner of the toss will have choice of offense, defense, direction or defer. The loser of the toss will have the remaining option. 

 The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its own 10-yard line and has four (4) plays to cross midfield for a first down. Offense will have another four (4) downs to cross the opponent’s 10-yard line.  

Teams change sides after the first half. 

TIME AND OVERTIME: Games are comprised two 20 minute halves. The game clock will be kept by a CSA official. 

Halftime is 5 (five) minutes long.  

The clock will only stop for injury time-outs and time-outs requested by either team. 

Each team is allowed two 45-second time outs per game. 

The offensive team has 30 seconds to snap the ball, once the ball has been spotted.  

A two-minute warning is given in the second half. 

During the final 2 minutes of the game, the referee the clock will stop if: 

An incomplete pass is thrown 

A player ends play by going out of bounds 

Either team scores (the clock remains stopped until the opposing team snaps the ball after the PAT attempt the clock does not run during extra points) 

Change of possession, including a turnover on downs and the ball being placed at the 10 yard line. 

A penalty which must be marked off occurs. 

A team calls a timeout. 

If a team is up by more than 14 points the clock runs continuously during the last two minutes of play 

OVERTIME SCORING  

REGULAR SEASON If a game is tied at the end of regulation play, a tiebreaker will be played to determine the winner. Captains will meet with the official for a coin toss to determine possession of ball. Both teams are given 2 plays, with no time outs, from the opponent’s 10 yard line If the first team is unsuccessful in scoring, the opposing team takes possession at the 10 yard line with 2 plays to score. If they score, they win. If the first team scores they are given an opportunity to score a 1 or 2 point PAT The opposing team is then given 2 plays to score and the opportunity to score a 1 or 2 point PAT to determine a winner 

If there is an interception during overtime the defense will take over on the opponent’s 10 yard line. 

In the regular season games can end in a tie. 

In the post-season the above scenario is repeated until a winner is determined. 

SCORING

Only the ball must be over the goal line in order for it to count as a touchdown or extra point. No diving over the line will be allowed. 

Touchdown: 6 points PAT (Point After Touchdown) 

1 point try – the ball will be placed 5 yards from the goal line 

2 point try – the ball will be placed 10 yards from the goal line. 

The clock does not stop during a PAT, except within the last two minutes of a game when the clock is stopping. 

A PAT is allowed if the touchdown was scored as time ran out to end either half. 

If a two point conversion is intercepted it may be run back for two points. Safety: (2 points) 

A safety occurs when the ball carrier is declared down in his/her own end zone. They can be called down when their flags are pulled by a defensive player, they step out of bounds, the ball is fumbled, or they hit the ground with their knee or arm. A safety also occurs when there is an offensive penalty in the end zone. 

STARTING OF PLAY / HIKING THE BALL: 

An eligible center will snap the ball to the Quarterback.  

RUSHING THE QB: 

The defense may not pursue the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage until completing a three-second count, at normal speaking cadence, as determined by the referee. 

After the three second count is completed, any number of defensive players may rush behind the line of scrimmage. If the defense rushes prematurely, the offense may either play the down over or decline the penalty. 

If the ball changes possession in the backfield (i.e. lateraled) the defense may rush in immediately. If the offense fakes a pass and the defense advances behind the line of scrimmage, no penalty will be called if the defense returns to in front of the line of scrimmage immediately, and continues the three-second count. 

A Quarterback is eligible to run the ball downfield. 

A Quarterback can’t throw a forward pass to himself. 

It has to be at least touched by a player on the offense or defense (with some intent of doing so). 

A Quarterback cannot bounce the pass off a defenders and run with it as a completed pass. 

Both of these calls will result in an incomplete pass and are at the discretion of the officials. 

A Quarterback can lateral or hand off the ball and become an eligible receiver once he crosses the line of scrimmage. 

LATERALS & RUSHING: 

A lateral is an underhand pitch of the ball to a fellow team member next to you or behind you. Laterals are legal only behind the line of scrimmage. A dropped lateral is a fumble and the ball is spotted at the point of the fumble and the offense retains possession. If the lateral is picked off, the defensive team has the ability to advance the ball. 

The offense may rush the ball an unlimited amount of times per possession, except within their own 10 yard line. The quarterback may not rush the ball, they must hand the ball off or lateral to be considered an eligible rush attempt. Once the ball is handed off or lateraled any and all defensive players may cross the line of scrimmage in an attempt to “tackle” the ball carrier. 

PASS RECEPTIONS: 

For a pass to be legal the receiver must have one foot in bounds at the time control is achieved. No part of the body may be touching an area out of bounds. 

TACKLING: 

A player is “tackled” by pulling at least one flag from the ball carrier’s belt. A legal flag pull takes place when the ball carrier is in full possession of the ball. If a flag is removed by a defensive player, prior to full possession (as determined by referee), the offense is not considered tackled and play continues with no infraction charged. Players may not leave their feet in attempts to “tackle” the ball carrier. If a player is determined by the referee to have dived after a flag and succeeded in pulling a player’s flag, such a play will be considered “no tackle” (similar to pulling a flag early) It is illegal to attempt to strip or pull the ball or pull from the ball carrier’s possession at any time. If a player’s flag inadvertently falls off during the play, the defense must touch the player with one hand and then he is considered down and the play will be whistled dead. A defensive player may not intentionally pull the flags off of a player who is not in possession of the ball. Flag guarding is not allowed 

FLAG GUARDING: 

An offensive player may not avoid a tackle by guarding his flag. 

Flag guarding consists of the following: 

Pushing an opponent’s hand away from the flag. 

Pushing an opponent or stiff arming. 

Lowering an arm to shield the flag. 

Dipping the shoulder. 

If a player is called for flag guarding, the play is dead at the point of the infraction. 

Spinning to avoid a tackle is legal, as long as none of the above listed events occur simultaneously. 

FIRST-DOWNS: 

Each team may earn only one first down during each drive. A first down may be achieved by: 

advancing the ball to or past the 50 yd line cone and then to or past the 30 yd line cone. No diving over the line will be allowed. A ball spotted on the line shall be considered a first down. A first down may also be awarded due to a defensive foul (i.e. interference). A defensive foul is the only way that a team may be awarded more than two first-downs. 

CHANGE OF POSSESSION: 

A team has 1 chance to make a first down. If a team fails to make their 1st down the defensive team takes over at midfield unless the offensive team on 4th down chooses to concede their possession. If a team concedes position before making their first 1st down then the opposing team will take over possession at midfield. If a team fails to make their second 1st down the defensive team takes over at the spot of the ball. If a team fails to score after making their 2nd first down the defensive team takes over at the 30 yard line. 

FUMBLES: 

If a player fumbles the ball, the play is blown dead at the spot where the player lost possession. The offensive team remains in possession of the ball unless it is 4th down and they would have lost the ball on downs. If a player on either team takes possession of the ball, prior to the ball hitting the ground, possession goes to that team and that player may attempt to advance the ball towards his own end zone. There is no stripping of the ball. 

PENALTIES: 

Offense 

Offsides: 5 yards & replay the down. 

Delay of Game: 5 yards & replay the down. Offensive 

Holding / Illegal Block: 5 yards & replay of down. 

Quarterback crossing the line of scrimmage prior to pass: 5 yards & loss of down. 

Offensive pass interference: 5 yards & replay of the down. 

Flag guarding: 5 yard penalty from spot of infraction & loss of down. 

1st down yardage prior to penalty results in 1st down. 

Flag guarding can be called even if the flag is pulled. 

Unsportsmanlike conduct: 10 yard personal foul from end of play (the down counts). 

NOTE: Loss of down penalties on a PAT attempt nullify the try (whether successful or not). 

Defense 

Holding ball carrier / Illegal flag pull: 5-yards added to end of run. Stripping: 5-yards from the spot of the foul. 

Roughing the passer: 5 yards & automatic 1st down. 

Illegal rush (not 5 seconds): 5 yards & replay the down or result of the play (offense may decline). 

Illegal contact (the ball has the not left the qb’s hand): 5 yards & replay the down. 

Pass interference: Automatic 1st down at the spot of the foul. Pass interference in the end zone: 1st & goal at the one-yard line 

Unsportsmanlike conduct: 10 yard personal foul (automatic 1st down). 

ROSTERS: 

Each team is allowed up to 12 players on their roster. All Players must create a CSA account to be linked to their team roster. Players cannot be rostered on two teams at once. Players may use fill in players only during regular season and only to meet the format minimum.

CODE OF CONDUCT: 

All players shall respect the calls of the officials. 

Players may not physically or verbally abuse any opponent or official. 

Only team captains may discuss calls with an official. 

No intentional tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, blocking, or any unsportsmanlike act which will cause the game to be stopped and the player maybe be ejected from the game. 

The decision is made at the referee’s discretion. 

No appeals! 

Offensive language is illegal. Officials have the right to determine offensive language. If offensive or confrontational language occurs, the referee will give one warning. 

If it continues, the player or players will be ejected from the game. 

Any player involved in fighting will be immediately ejected from the game and subject to further suspension at the discretion of the league. Defenders are not allowed to run through the ball carrier when pulling flags. 

 lease clean up your sideline after the game 

PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY AND TIE BREAKERS: 

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY 

Players must play in at least 3 regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs