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Intramural Rules for Flag Football 7v7

Location

The contest will be held on the Intramural Fields.

Player Management

All Intramural Participants must adhere to the Membership and Eligibility rules establish by the SDSU Intramural Sports Constitution Articles IV and VI which state:

  1. All SDSU students regularly enrolled and having paid the General Activity Fee are eligible for participation in activities programmed by the Intramural Sports Office.
  2. SDSU faculty and staff and community members that have paid a membership fee to the SDSU Wellness Center and have purchased an IM Sports Pass are eligible for participation in intramural activities.
  3. Non Wellness Center Members must purchase a Non-member IM Pass in order to be eligible to participate.
  4. Any student who has participated at the varsity level will be ineligible for competition in that sport for one full year once they are no longer a member of the varsity team.
  5. An intramural team roster may not include more varsity letter winners or Sport Club members that participate in a similar sport that would total one-half the number of players necessary to start a given contest.
  6. A roster may have no more than 3 IM supervisors on an individual team.
  7. A player can only be on the roster of one team per sport.
  8. No individual may participate in Intramural Sports while under the influence of any drugs or alcohol.
  9. Players must check in to at least one regular season game to be considered eligible for playoffs.

Men’s & Women’s

  1. A maximum of seven players on the field are allowed at one time.
  2. A minimum of four players are required to begin a contest.
    1. Failure to provide four eligible players will result in a forfeit.
  3. After having started, a team may continue with less than four players provided it has a chance to win.

Co-Rec

  1. A maximum of eight players on the field are allowed at one time.
  2. A minimum of five players are required to begin a contest.
    1. Failure to provide four eligible players will result in a forfeit.
    2. A team fielding eight players must have a male to female ratio of 4:4.
    3. A team fielding seven players must have a ratio of 4:3.
    4. A team fielding six may have ratios of 3:3 or 4:2. Failure to follow these ratios may result in a forfeit.
  3. After having started, a team may continue with less than five players provided it has a chance to win.

Equipment provided by Intramural Program

  1. A game ball will be provided by the Intramural Sports Program.
  2. Flags will be provided.
    1. The entire flag belt, from the ropes to the flags, must be clearly visible, uncovered and hanging free.
  3. Jerseys will be available for each team if necessary by the Intramural Supervisor.
  4. Teams that choose to wear personal jerseys must follow these guidelines.
    1. Home – White
    2. Away – Dark color, not gray.

Unacceptable Equipment specifications

  1. No metal cleats
  2. No billed hats
  3. No headbands with knots.
  4. No jewelry will be allowed. 
    1. Jewelry that cannot be taken off or serves a specific medical service must be taped down.
  5. No pants with snaps, zippers, etc.
  6. No pockets!
  7. No extra padding
  8. Participants refusing to adhere to the equipment rules will be barred from participation.

Use of unacceptable equipment may result in ejection.

Contest Length

The officials and the captain shall meet before each game for a coin toss. The winner may elect either offense/defense, direction of play, or to defer to the 2nd half.

  1. When the winner has made their choice, the loser is granted the other. At the start of the second half, the team which did not choose during the first half must choose either offense or defense.

The contest will consist of two, 20-minute halves and a three-minute halftime.

  1. The clock will run continuously in the first half, only stopping for timeouts.
  2. Clock will stop when the following occur in the last 2 min. of 2nd half
    1. Out of bounds
    2. Penalties
    3. Incomplete pass
    4. Scoring plays
    5. Timeout (team/officials)
    6. After a change of possession
  3. With less than 2 minutes remaining in the game, the offended team of any foul has the option to start the game clock on the snap when it would have normally started on the ready.

Contests may end in a tie during the regular season.

Each team will be allowed 3 timeouts per game.

NOTE: If a timeout is called immediately following a touchdown, the official’s clock won't start until the ball has been snapped on the next play.

If a team is 19 or more points (Co-REC 25 points) ahead when the official announces the 2 minute warning in the 2nd half, the game is over.  

  1. There must be a down free of any accepted live ball fouls before the mercy rule can be enforced.

Playoff games which end in a tie will go into overtime.

Coin toss will determine the options to the start of the overtime.  Visiting captain shall call the toss.  The winner of the toss will choose offense, defense, or direction.

  1. All overtime periods will be played toward same goal line.
  2. If additional overtime periods are needed, the teams will alternate choices.
    1. 1st overtime - Team A is offense 1st, and Team B is defense 1st.
    2. 2nd overtime, Team A is defense 1st, and Team B is offense 1st.  
  3. Unless moved by penalty, each team will start 1st and goal at the 10-yard line.  
  4. Each team has 4 downs to score a touchdown in every overtime period.
  5. If the defense secures possession, the ball is dead, and the series is over.
  6. The goal line will ALWAYS be the line to gain in an overtime period.
  7. If still tied after 1st overtime, play will continue to 2nd overtime or as many are needed to determine a winner.
  8. 1 Timeout per team, no matter the number of overtimes played.

Gameplay

All intramural play shall be governed by NIRSA Flag Football rules.

A coin flip will decide beginning possession and team sides.

  1. The second half will begin with the opposite team choosing direction or possession.

Gameplay

  1. Ball Placement
    1. The offense will start at the 14 yard line; with the 20 yard line being their next first down.
      1. This will only occur at beginning of each half, after a touchdown/extra point, or safety.
    2. Buffer zone: 1 yard between the offensive & defensive lines. An orange marker will mark the offensive line of scrimmage and a yellow marker will mark the defensive line of scrimmage. Offensive & defensive lines cannot be crossed until the ball has been snapped.
  2. Position of players
    1. Offensive
      1. Line positions — there must be at least 1 player on the line of scrimmage at the start of a play.
      2. Any player may use a 2, 3, or 4 point stance.
      3. Remaining players may be arranged in any desired position behind the line of scrimmage, OR may line up directly behind the center in the T position.
      4. No center sneaks in IM Flag Football.
      5. Any snapped ball must begin on the ground.
      6. Any player receiving the snap must be a minimum of 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
    2. Defense
      1. The defensive players may arrange themselves in any manner on their side of the scrimmage line.
  3. Punting
    1. If a punt is to be made, the punting team must announce that it will be a punt and neither team may cross the line of scrimmage until after the punt. The defensive team may attempt to block the punt but in doing so must remain behind the line of scrimmage.
    2. On punts, if the receiver who catches the punted ball has any part of his/her foot over his/her own goal line, the ball is dead and it is a touchback.
    3. On fourth down, the offense has to inform the official if they will punt or “go for it”.  Any attempt to delay or waste time in making the decision will result in a penalty.  The play clock will start immediately after the decision is made.
  4. Flag Pulls
    1. Tackling is not permitted. The ball shall be declared dead when a defensive player has removed the flag from the ball carrier.
    2. If a ball carrier, while in possession of the football in the wide-open field, has his/her flags inadvertently fall off while running with the football, the official shall disregard this and let play continue until a defensive player touches the ball carrier with 1 hand between the shoulders and knees.
  5. Blocking
    1. The offensive screen block shall take place without contact.
    2. The screen blocker shall have his/her hands and arms at their side or behind their back when screen blocking. Any use of the hands, arms, elbows, legs, or body to initiate contact during a player’s screen block is illegal. Blocker may use hands or arms to break fall or to retain balance.
    3. A player must be on his/her feet before, during, and after screen blocking.
    4. A player who is screen blocking may NOT:
      1. Take a position closer than a normal step when behind a stationary opponent.
      2. Make contact when assuming a position at the side or in front of a stationary opponent.
      3. Take position so close to a moving opponent that his/her opponent cannot avoid contact by stopping or changing direction. The speed of the player to be screened will determine where the screener may take their stationary position. The position will vary. It may be 1 to 2 normal steps or strides from the opponent.
      4. If the screener violates any of these, he/she has committed a personal foul.
    5. Opponents must go around the offensive player’s screen block. The arms and hands may not be used as a wedge to displace the blocker.
  6. Passing
    1. All team members are eligible to receive passes.
    2. A lateral is defined as a ball pitched or passed in a parallel or backward motion.
    3. A backward pass or fumble that strikes the ground becomes dead at that spot.
    4. An intercepted lateral is treated like an intercepted pass; it is a live ball and can be advanced.
    5. If a pass is caught simultaneously by members of opposing teams inbounds, the ball becomes dead at the spot of the catch and belongs to the offense.
    6. Forward pass may be thrown provided that the passer’s feet are on or behind the plane of the line of scrimmage when the ball leaves the passer’s hand.
      1. Only 1 forward pass can be thrown per down.
    7. Incomplete pass – when a forward pass touches the ground or anything out-of-bounds, it becomes dead.
      1. Whether a pass is catchable or uncatchable has no bearing on offensive or defensive forward pass interference, it is still a foul.
  7. Downs
    1. In a series of 4 downs the offensive team must advance the ball to or beyond the closest 20-yard marker or their respective end zone.
  8. Scoring
    1. After a player scores a touchdown or extra point, they must raise their arms in the air so the nearest official can de-flag the player.
    2. If the player is not de-flagged with one pull, and the official determines the flag belt has been secured illegally, the score is not allowed, and the player will be ejected.
    3. A safety is worth 2 points
    4. Point after touchdown shall count 1 point from the 3-yard line, 2 points from the 10-yard line, and 3 points from the 20-yard line.
  9. Co-Rec Alterations
    1. Male Runner: The offense cannot have a male runner advance the ball through the line of scrimmage unless he has receive a forward pass from a female. There are no restrictions (a) during a run by the above male runner once the ball has been touched by any player beyond offensive line of scrimmage (b) during a run by a female runner, and c) after a change of team possession.
      1. Example 1: Male A-1 throws a forward pass to female A-2 beyond the neutral zone who then throws a backward pass to male A-3 who is behind Team A's Scrimmage line. Male A-3 runs through the neutral zone for a 10 yard gain...LEGAL PLAY
    2. Illegal Forward Pass:
      1. The term “closed” means a male player may not throw a legal forward pass completion to any other male player. The term “open” means any player can complete a legal forward pass to any other player.
      2. If a crew of officials incorrectly indicates the “open/closed” status of the down, the play is nullified and the down will be repeated.
      3. During the offensive team’s possession, there may not be two consecutive legal forward pass completions from a male passer to a male receiver. This rule applies to the try-for-point.
      4. If a male passer completes a legal forward pass to a male receiver, the next legal forward pass completion must involve a female receiver or female passer for positive yards. The spot where the ball becomes dead must be beyond Team A’s scrimmage line. There is no foul for a receiver being de-flagged/tagged behind Team A’s scrimmage line, but the next down remains “closed”.
      5. There are no other restrictions concerning a male passer completing legal forward passes to a female receiver, or female to female, or female to male.
      6. Any foul, whether accepted or declined, shall have no effect on whether the next forward pass completion is “open” or “closed”.
      7. The only way to “open” a “closed” play is to complete a legal forward pass, involving a female, and gains positive yards.
    3. Scoring
      1. If a male player scores a touchdown, or if a male throws a legal forward pass that is caught by a male, the point value is 6. If a female player scores a touchdown, or if a female throws a legal forward pass that is caught by a male or female, the point value is 9.

Offensive

  1. 5 yard penalties
    1. Failure to wear required equipment
    2. Delay of Game
    3. Illegal Substitution
    4. Illegal Procedure
    5. False Start
    6. Illegal Snap
    7. Illegal Formation
    8. Illegal Motion
    9. Illegal Shift
    10. Illegal Advancement (Co-Rec)
    11. Illegal Backward Pass (Loss of Down)
    12. Illegal Forward Pass ( Loss of Down)
    13. Intentional Grounding (Loss of Down)
    14. Illegal Male Reception (Co-Rec)(Loss of Down)
    15. Helping the Runner
  2. 10 yard penalties
    1. Illegal Kick
    2. Kick Catching Interference
    3. Holding
    4. Unnecessary roughness
    5. Offensive pass interference
    6. Illegal Contact
    7. Contacting an opponent who is on the ground
    8. Unsportsmanlike conduct — abusive language, lowering head while running, etc.
    9. Contact with an opponent who is obviously out of the play
    10. Flag guarding
    11. Interlocked blocking
    12. Illegal Batting
    13. Illegal Participation

Notes: If the ball carrier commits a foul during play such as lowering head, hurdling, stiff-arming, or flag guarding, the penalty is enforced from the spot of the infraction instead of from the line of scrimmage. Any live ball penalty committed by the offense behind the line of scrimmage will be enforced from the spot of the foul.

Defensive

  1. 5 yard penalties
    1. Encroachment
    2. Illegal Procedure
  2. 10 yard penalties
    1. Holding
    2. Unnecessary roughness
    3. Roughing the passer ( Automatic first down)
    4. Pass interference
      1. Forward Pass Interference
        1. Contact which interferes with an eligible receiver who’s beyond the line of scrimmage.
    5. Illegal flag belt removal
      1. If eligible receiver is de-flagged prior to touching a forward pass.
    6. Tackling or pushing ball carrier
    7. Tripping
    8. Contacting an opponent who is on the ground
    9. Unsportsmanlike conduct
    10. Illegal Contact

Notes: A penalty against the defense on a scoring play may be assessed on the try or after the change of possession following the try. A defensive penalty during a successful try shall be enforced on the change of possession

When an official determines the following acts are deliberate or flagrant, the player or players shall be ejected from the game.

  1. Using fists, kicking or kneeing
  2. Illegally securing flag belt
  3. Using locked hands, elbows, or any part of the forearm or hand except according to the rule
  4. Tackling or pushing the ball carrier
  5. Under the influence of mood altering substances
  6. Any deliberate or flagrant act against an opponent or an official
  7. Any flagrant or deliberate act of unsportsmanlike conduct including:
    1. Any abusive insulting language
    2. Any acts of unfair play
    3. Manager, coaches or others on the field of play at any time without permission, or their interference of any nature with the progress of the game
    4. A substitute or any other person interfering with a player or any play while the ball is alive
    5. Attempting to substitute a suspended player results in an automatic team forfeit.
  8. PENALTY: 10 YARDS — FLAGRANT OFFENDERS SHALL BE EJECTED AND THE TEAM SUBJECT TO AN UNACCEPTABLE SPORTSMANSHIP RATING. THE OFFENDER(S) WILL MEET WITH THE INTRAMURAL COORDINATOR (SEE SPORTSMANSHIP CONTRACT)
Protests

Any protest made must be addressed to the Intramural official immediately.

Judgment calls are not able to be protested.

All protests must be issued in accordance with article XI of the Intramural Sports Constitution.

Any protest made must be addressed to the Intramural official immediately.

Judgment calls are not able to be protested.

All protests must be issued in accordance with article XI of the Intramural Sports Constitution.

Player Interaction

Consistent infraction of this rule may lead to an Ejection.

Any player who is creating an environment which any official deems as contrary to the goals of the Intramural Sports Program is subject to ejection.

Use of profanity directed at an official shall result in an immediate ejection.

Any misconduct executed by an official must be brought to the immediate attention of the IM Supervisor.

Any team or individual that fails to be ready for play at the scheduled time of the contest will forfeit to their opponent.

Forfeited contests will not be rescheduled. A fine of $25 shall be assessed and subtracted from the team’s deposit.

After a team forfeits two contests in a sport, the team will be suspended until a second $25 hobo dough forfeit fee is paid.

If a team must forfeit, the Intramurals office should be notified no later than 3pm the day of the contest. This will count as a default and not a forfeit.

Teams shall be charged a $25 forfeit fee should they forfeit.

  1. All team members shall be suspended until the payment is made at the Wellness Center.

After the 1st forfeit, the team shall be removed from playoff consideration.

  1. The 2nd forfeit brings removal from the league.

Sportsmanship

Team captain is responsible for educating and informing all players and spectators affiliated with his/her team about the system. The officials working that game and or any intramural staff member will rate each team in each contest on sportsmanship. The intramural staff and officials rate teams and organizations on a 4 point rating system. To qualify for playoffs, a team must average at least a 3.0 over a minimum to be included in playoffs. Teams must also maintain an acceptable sportsmanship rating for each game throughout the playoffs in order to advance.

Rating System Criteria:

“4” – Some question of judgment or rule interpretation with minimal complaint.

“3” – Good game, but not perfect. Repeated question of judgment or complaints by team.

“2” – Highest rating a team can achieve with one unsportsmanlike call in softball, volleyball, flag football; yellow card in soccer; and a technical foul in basketball.

“1” – Consistent harassment of the officials. Highest rating a team can achieve with 2 unsportsmanlike conducts, technical fouls (not on the same participant), or yellow cards.

“0” – Includes threatening an employee. Forfeit includes any game in which a team is ejected for fighting and/or 3 unsportsmanlike penalties or technical fouls in a game.