5V5 CONTACT RULES

USA FLAG football rules with slight modifications which are listed below in red.

RULE 1: OVERVIEW

SECTION 1. THE FIELD

Article 1. The game field will be played using the width of the a typically football field. The dimensions of the field are roughly 67 yards long by 25 yards wide with 7 yard endzones. 

SECTION 2. THE GAME

Article 1. Game Time is FORFEIT TIME – upon approval by a director. Teams will be given reasonable time to get to their next games at the discretion of the directors.

Article 2. Minimum 3 players to start a game. May only have up to 5 players on the field at any one time.

Article 3. A coin toss determines 1st possession. The team can elect to have offense, defense, defer or direction. Choice in the 2nd half will be awarded to the team that did not have the choice 1st half.

Article 4. The offensive team takes possession of the ball at their 5-yard line and has three plays to cross mid-field. Once a team crosses mid-field they have three plays to score. If the offensive team fails to cross mid-field, the ball changes possession. If the offense does not score, the ball changes possession. All drives start from the 5-yard line with the exception of an interception.

Article 5. Blocking is allowed.

SECTION 3. ATTIRE

Article 1. Teams also must have the same color shirts and have an alternative color (one dark color/one light color). They do not have to be official uniforms. If both teams are wearing the same color, there will be a coin toss, and the losing team will need to change into a different color. Failure to provide a secondary uniform or unwillingness to change may result in a forfeit.

Article 2. Triple threat flags will be provided at the fields for all teams. 

SECTION 4. GAME CLOCK FORMAT

Article 1. Tournament clock is 25 minutes long. Two 12 minute halves and 1-minute halftime. The clock will NOT STOP in the final minute of either half outside of a timeout being used. 

Article 2. Each team has two 30 second timeouts PER GAME. If a time out is called after a TD the clock will not run until the change of possession and the offense snaps their ball.

Article 3. The play clock is 25 seconds from the end of the previous play.

SECTION 5. MERCY RULE

Article 1. No Mercy Rule during pool play games.  If a team is up by 28 points or more during bracket play at any time, the game will be over.

RULE 2. OFFENSE

SECTION 1. RUNNING

Article 1. All offensive players may run the ball at any time, except in the no-run zones which are located 5 yards before mid-field and 5 yards before the goal line only in the direction that the offense is going.

Article 2. Teams may handoff (unlimited), pitch, or throw back in the backfield. UNLIMITED laterals or throwbacks behind the LOS are allowed for the player to remain eligible to pass.

Article 3. Pitching (backwards/laterally) is allowed downfield (unlimited). Handoffs are allowed forward or backwards when behind the line of scrimmage, and only backwards beyond the line of scrimmage. A handoff DOES NOT count as a lateral/throwback.

Article 4. A forward pass DOES NOT have to cross the LOS to be a legal play.

Article 5. If the ball is placed on the “Back” of ANY player, the player MUST run the ball (no give and go to the QB on the back)

Article 6. Ball is spotted where the ball is at the time of the flag pull. The ball must break the plane of the midfield or goal line to be considered a first down or touchdown.

Article 7. Only the center needs to be lined up on the LOS

SECTION 2. BLOCKING

Article 1. CONTACT IS ALLOWED:  Open hand contact allowed between shoulder and waist. Blocking in the back is not allowed.

Article 2. Players may block down field. Blocking downfield is only allowed once the ball is completed downfield.  Players may block downfield for all running plays or when the pass is behind the LOS except when the LOS is established inside the no run zone.  Offensive players blocking downfield before the ball is thrown downfield will be assessed a pass interference penalty (5 yards from the LOS).

Article 3. Crackback Blocking and Blindside blocking is NOT allowed. Crack-back block is a blind-side block on a player by an opponent who starts downfield and then cuts back toward their own goal line to make contact.  A blind-side block is engaging an opponent other than the runner who does not see the blocker approaching.

SECTION 2. PASSING

Article 1. There is no 5 second count to pass the ball if not rushed.

Article 2. There is no arm in motion, if the ball is in hand when the quarterback’s flag is pulled then it will be ruled a sack.

Article 3. Interceptions may be returned.

Article 4. The rusher may not have any contact with the QB (no hitting the QB arm or knocking the ball out of the QB hand).

Article 5. If ANY part of the players body is behind the LOS it is a legal pass

SECTION 3. RECEIVING

Article 1. All players are eligible to receive a pass, including the quarterback, if the ball has been pitched or handed off in the backfield.

Article 2. Players must have at least one foot in bounds when making a catch.

RULE 3. DEFENSE

SECTION 1. RUSHING THE QUARTERBACK

Article 1. Players may rush from anywhere as long as any part of their body is not across the LOS.

Article 2. The Center is protected when he snaps the ball.  The Center cannot be touched until he/she picks up their head and takes one step towards his/her pattern or assumes a blocking position.

SECTION 2. PASS COVERAGE

Article 1. Defensive players can Jam the receiver at the line and up to 5 yards downfield. However, you cannot hold, trip or grab the receiver.

Article 2. Pass interference normally occurs above the waist; entangled feet are not considered pass interference. Incidental contact is not considered pass interference.

Article 3. A player may “find” their opponent by reaching out and placing a hand on them as long as touching does not delay, impede, twist, or turn their opponent.  This is not considered pass interference.

Article 4. A player may use their arms or hands to intentionally obstruct the receiver’s view (face guarding) of the ball without turning their own head to play the ball as long as noteworthy contact is not made with the receiver.

Article 5. If defensive pass interference occurs in the end zone the ball will be placed on the one-yard line, automatic first down.

Article 6. Interceptions may be returned. Interceptions in the end zone that are not returned to the field of play will result in a touchback and the ball will be spotted on the 5-yard line.

Article 7. Contact away from the direction of the pass is not considered pass interference but may be considered illegal contact.

Article 8. Whether a pass is catchable or uncatchable has no bearing on pass interference. The benefit of the doubt is given to the receiver. Examples of pass interference include:

• Shoving or pushing off to create separation.
• Playing through the back.
• Hook and turn: grabbing the torso and turning an opponent before the pass arrives.
• Arm bars, hooking, restricting, grabbing wrists, or turning a receiver.
• Blocking downfield before the ball has been touched, commonly seen through “pick plays”.

RULE 4. SCORING

SECTION 1. POINTS

• Touchdown: 6 points
• Point After Touchdown:
  • (PAT) 1 point from the 5-yard line (no-run zone in effect)
  • 2 points from the 12-yard line, run, pass (outside of no-run zone)
  • Interceptions returned on PAT’s are worth 2 points
• Safety: 2 points

SECTION 2. POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN (PAT)

Article 1. Following a touchdown, once the scoring team has informed an official of which point conversion choice they want to attempt, the decision cannot be changed unless the scoring team uses a team timeout.

Article 2. If a penalty occurs during an extra point attempt, the penalty will be assessed but the extra point value remains the same.

Article 3. Decisions cannot be changed after a penalty. For example, if the offense attempts a 1-point PAT and is penalized five yards for a false start, they cannot change their mind and go for a 2-point PAT. They will still be attempting a 1-point try even if they call a timeout.

Article 4. Defensive unsportsmanlike conduct, personal fouls, or roughing penalties during a successful touchdown attempt will be assessed at half the distance to the goal during the PAT attempt (e.g., 2-point PAT attempts will be spotted at the 6-yard line, 1-point PAT attempts will be spotted at the 2.5-yard line). All other defensive penalties may be declined by the offense and the score will stand.

Article 5. Dead ball fouls committed by the offense that do not carry a loss-of-down penalty (false start) may result in penalty yardage assessed and the down replayed.

Article 6. Fouls by the offense during a successful PAT attempt that carry a loss-of-down penalty (flag guarding, illegal advancement, illegal forward pass, etc.) will result in the PAT being no good.

Article 7. Fouls committed by the offense in unsuccessful PAT attempts will be declined by the defense and the PAT will be “no good” and will not be replayed.

Article 8. Fouls by the defense during an unsuccessful PAT attempt will result in a retry after the options are administered.

Article 9. If the PAT-attempting team throws an interception and then commits a flagrant foul after the interception during the attempted return (physically contains the ball carrier; bear hugs, aggressively holds, tackles, etc. without making a clear, legal attempt to pull the ball carrier’s flag, the ball carrier will be awarded two points).

SECTION 3. OVERTIME EXTRA POINT SHOOT-OUT

Article 1. A coin flip determines first possession, 1 timeout per OT period

Article 2. Teams will go in reverse order if more then 1 OT is required

Article 3. Teams can elect to go for 1 or 2 points

Article 4. Winner will be determined once the value of the extra point exceeds the other team’s attempt.

RULE 5. PENALTY CHART