2024  RULES  BOOK

FDR 5v5 TDURNRMENT PLRY

PART OF THE GRIDIRON TOURNAMENT SERIESTM POWERED BY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ROSTERS + FORMAT 3

GAME 4

TEAM EQUIPMENT + GAME ATTIRE 5

TIMING + OVERTIME 6

SCORING 8

COACHING 9

LIVE BALL/ DEAD BALL 10

RUNNING 11

PASSING 12

RECEIVING 12

FLAG PULLING 13

DEFENSE 13

FORMATIONS 14

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT 14

PENALTIES 15

ROSTERS + FORMAT

GAME

• At the start of each game, captains from both teams meet at midfield for the coin toss to determine who starts with the ball. The visiting team calls the toss.

• The winner of the coin toss has the choice of offense or defense. The loser of the coin toss has the choice of direction. Possession changes to start the second half.

• The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its 5-yard line and has four (4) downs to cross midfield. Once a team crosses midfield, it has four (4) downs to score a touchdown.

P If the offensive team fails to get a first or fails to score, it will be a turnover on downs. The opposing team will take possession at the same spot.

• Offensive Teams MUST declare intent, when on fourth (4th) down, if they plan to go for the 1st down or they would like to punt within 5 seconds.

• If the declaration is "Punt" the ball changes possession and will be placed at the opposing Team's 5-yard line, with NO option to change the declaration unless a timeout is called.

• Teams may use a timeout only to change the declaration of "Play" at any time prior to the expiration of the play clock.
  

TEAM EQUIPMENT + GAME ATTIRE

• The game ball will be provided by each team for every game. Each team is allowed to use the ball they provided for offense. The provided football MUST adhere to the size requirements listed below.

8U and younger divisions will use a Pee-Wee sized football. 9U-14U divisions will use a Junior sized football.

15+ will use a Youth or Official football

• All players must wear Shruumz Popper Flags.

• Teams must provide their own jerseys. Jerseys must be tucked into the shorts.

• Shorts must be a different color then the flags.

• All players must wear a mouth-guard

• The flag belts must be securely placed on each player's hips. They must be secure enough to stay in place during game play and must remain on each side of the player You may NOT alter or cut the flags in any way.

• No pockets allowed on shorts-This is to prevent injuries.

• Players must wear cleats and they must be rubber soled. NO METAL SPIKES allowed.

FIELD

• 25 yards in width by 50 yards in length plus the End Zones.

• No run zones (6U does not have a no run zone).

  • No run zone- no runs no matter what, even if blitzed. An illegal run is defined by the ball carrier crossing the line of scrimmage. You can hand off, pitch, etc behind the LOS but as soon as they cross the LOS it's illegal.

  • Penalties do not remove you from the no run zone, loss of yards on the play does.
    

TIMING + OVERTIME

• Games are played on a 28-minute continuous clock with two 14-minute halves, unless one team gains a 35-point advantage which will end the game.  The clock stops for halftime, injuries, or at the Officials' discretion.

• A stop clock or pro clock will be in effect in the final 1 minute of the second half if the game score is 8 or below. When officials go to the “stop clock” or pro clock mechanic the clock will stop / start as listed below:

  • Defense gains possession of the ball /on the snap

  • Inadvertent whistle/at the ready

  • Incomplete passes/on the snap

  • Intentional grounding/at the ready

  • Offense achieves a first down/clock stops until referee whistles the ready-to-play whistle

  • Out-of-bounds plays with a player in possession of the ball/on the snap

  • Fumbled or thrown out out-of-bounds by a ball carrier beyond scrimmage/on the ready

  • Penalty administration (other than Delay of Game)/ depends on previous play Delay of game/on the snap

  • Referee timeout/at the referee’s discretion

  • Team timeout/on the snap

  • Injury/when player is removed from field (depending on the status of clock on previous play)

  • Touchdown or Safety on the next snap after the PAT attempt. PATs are untimed downs during stop/pro clock mechanics.

  • Clock runoffs for penalties that occur inside “stop clock” mechanics do not apply in this league.

  • Halftime is one (1) minute.

  • Each time the ball is spotted and officials are ready for play, a team has 25 seconds to snap the ball. Each team has 1– 60 second timeout per half. If unused, they do not carry over to the next half. Officials can stop the clock at their discretion. In the event of an injury, officials will stop the clock, then restart once the injured player has been removed from the field of play.
    

TIMING + OVERTIME (CONT’D)

• If the score is tied at the end of regulation play, an overtime period will be used to determine a winner (bracket day only. NO overtime during pool play or regular season gms).

Overtime format is as follows: (Bracket play only. No overtime during pool play or regular season games)

• Home team calls the toss to determine the team that chooses to be on offense or defense first. If a second round of overtime must be played, the team that lost the coin toss will get to choose offense or defense for the start of the second round of overtime. This process continues with teams alternating who gets to choose to be on offense or defense to start out during every round of overtime. The referee will determine which end of the field the overtime will take place on.

• Each team will take turns getting one (1) play from the defense's 5-yard line for one point or the defense's 10-yard line for two points. Whether to go for one or two points is up to the offensive team. Whether or not the team that begins on offense converts the team that started on defense gets a chance on offense to win or tie by converting a one-or two-point play of their own. If the second team on offense in an overtime round fails to beat or match the team that went first, the team that went first wins.

• Starting with the 2nd overtime, both teams must "go for two" from the 10-yard line until a winner is determined.

• Final Score will be recorded to include all points scored for each team

• All regulation period rules and penalties are in effect.

• Timeouts do not carry over from regulation. There are no timeouts in Overtime.

• Interceptions are returnable in OT, and worth 2 points.
  

SCORING

• Touchdown: 6 points

• PAT (point after touchdown): 1 point (5-yard line) or 2 points (10-yard line)

  • Point PAT is pass only; 2 point PAT can be run or pass.

• Safety: 2 points

  • A safety occurs when the ball carrier is declared down in his/her own end zone. Runners can be called down when their flags are pulled by a defensive player, a flag falls out, they step out of bounds, their knee or arm touches the ground, a fumble occurs in the end zone, or if a snapped ball lands in or beyond the end zone. A flag guard by the offense in their end zone will also be a safety.

• A team that scores a touchdown must declare whether it wishes to attempt a 1- point conversion (from the 5-yard line) or a 2-point conversion (from the 10-yard line). Any change, once a decision is made to try for the extra point(s), requires a charged timeout. A decision cannot be changed after a penalty.

• Once a 35 or more point advantage is reached or breached, again the game is over

• Forfeits are scored 35-0 for the winning team.

• Interceptions returned for scores during regular game play are worth 6 points. Conversions or Overtime are worth 2 points.
  

COACHING

• Coaches are expected to adhere to all Gridiron Football coaching guidelines and code of conduct (refer to the coaching code of conduct that was sent to you)

• Only three (3) coaches are permitted on the sidelines to coach during games. Coaches must remain on the sidelines, unless in the case of needing to attend to an injured player.

• All division teams may have one coach on the field, but they must be 7 yards back before the ball is snapped. They must remain still and must avoid causing disruption in the play. Disrupting the play is considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Coaches must not tell the kids where the ball is, tell them where to throw it, etc. Coaches must let the play happen and cannot directly tell players what to do.

• All team photographers, managers, team moms, fans, etc. must remain off the field/ sideline, and spectate from a designated viewing area. Coaches, this is your responsibility to keep your teams' fans and any other team-associated members in the designated areas.

• Teams may huddle on the sideline with their coaches to get the play, but the play clock will not stop once the ball is signaled "Ready for Play."
  

LIVE / DEAD BALL

• The ball is live at the snap, and remains live until the official whistles the ball dead. Any official can whistle the play dead. The official will indicate the neutral zone and line of scrimmage.

• It is an automatic dead ball if any player on defense or offense enters the neutral zone with a penalty to be assessed.

• A player who gains possession of the ball in the air is considered in bounds as long as the first foot or other body part contacts the ground in the field of play.

• The defense may not mimic the offensive team signals by trying to confuse the offensive players, while the quarterback is calling out signals to start the play. This will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

• NOTE: There are no fumbles. The ball becomes a dead ball. (If the ball is fumbled forwards then it will be spotted where the ball carrier lost possession.

• Play is ruled "dead" when:

  • The ball hits the ground. If the ball hits the ground as a result of a bad snap, the ball is then placed where the ball hit the ground.

  • The ball-carrier's flag is pulled.

  • The ball-carrier steps out of bounds.

  • A touchdown, PAT or safety is scored.

  • The ball-carrier's knee or arm hits the ground.

  • The ball-carrier's flag falls out.

  • The receiver catches the ball while in possession of one or no flag(s).

  • Ball-carrier leaves their feet other than jump cuts, spinning, or to avoid a downed player on the field of play

  • The 7 second pass clock expires or an inadvertent whistle. If an inadvertent whistle occurs the offense has two options:

  • Take the ball where the whistle blew and the down is consumed.

  • Replay the down from the original line of scrimmage.

  • If it occurs on the last play of the half or game, the offense will be awarded one un-timed down and given those two options.

  • A team is allowed to use a timeout to question an official's rule interpretation. If the official's ruling is correct, the team will be charged a timeout. If the rule is interpreted incorrectly, the timeout will not be charged and the proper ruling will be enforced. Officials should all agree upon any controversial call in order to give each team the full benefit of each call.
    

RUNNING

• The quarterback cannot directly run with the ball. The quarterback is the offensive player who receives the snap. The QB can only run when a blitzer crosses the line of scrimmage and the offense is not in a no run zone.

• Handoffs are permitted ONLY behind the line of scrimmage Any player who receives a handoff can throw the ball from behind the line of scrimmage. 

• Handoffs may be in front, behind or to the side of the offensive player, but must be behind the line of scrimmage. The offense may use multiple handoffs. The QB is not allowed to handoff to the center on the first handoff of the play.

• NO pitches or laterals BEYOND the line of scrimmage.

• Once the ball has been handed off in front, behind or to the side of the quarterback, all defensive players are eligible to rush and the 7 second pass clock turns off.

• Runners may not leave their feet to advance the ball. Diving, leaping or jumping to avoid a flag pull is considered flag guarding. Spinning/ Jump Cuts are allowed, but players cannot leave their feet to avoid a flag pull. Ball carriers may leave their feet and the play will continue for spinning, jump cuts, B's passing progression or if there is a clear indication that he/she has done so to avoid a collision with another player and the play will continue without stoppage.

• No blocking or "screening" is allowed at any time.

• Offensive players in close proximity of the ball-carrier must stop their motion once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage. No running with the ball carrier.

• Flag obstruction - All jerseys MUST be tucked in before play begins. The flags must be on the player's hips and free from obstruction. Deliberately obstructed flags will be considered flag guarding.
  

PASSING

• All passes must be thrown from behind the line of scrimmage, thrown forward and ball out of hand prior to breaching the line of scrimmage. There is no intentional grounding. All passes must be a forward pass. A forward pass does not have to pass the line of scrimmage it just has to be forward.  The quarterback may throw the ball away to avoid a sack but must go beyond the line of scrimmage.

• Shovel passes are allowed as long as it is forward

• The quarterback has a seven (7) second "pass clock." If a pass is not thrown within the seven seconds, the play is dead, the down is consumed and the ball is returned to the line of scrimmage. Once the ball is handed off, the 7-second rule is no longer in effect. If the QB is standing in the end zone at the end of the 7-second clock, the ball is returned to the line of scrimmage (LOS). If the quarterback throws the ball and then catches it, the play is dead and treated like an incomplete pass.

RECEIVING

• All players are eligible to receive passes (including the quarterback if the ball has been handed off behind the line of scrimmage).

• Only one player is allowed in motion at a time. All motion must be parallel to the line of scrimmage and no motion is permitted toward the line of scrimmage.

• A player must have at least one foot or other body part in bounds, contacting the ground first with possession.

• In the case of simultaneous possession by both an offensive and defensive player, possession is awarded to the offense.

• Interceptions are returnable. If returned for a score during regular game play, the score will be worth six points, two points if returned during conversions and/or overtime.
  

FLAG PULLING

• After a flag pull the ball will be spotted at the player’s hips - NOT where the ball is.

• Defenders can dive to pull flags but cannot tackle, hold, or run through the ball- carrier when pulling flags. It is illegal to attempt to strip or pull the ball from the ball-carrier's possession at any time.

• If a player's flag inadvertently falls off during a play while that player has possession, the player is down immediately and the play ends. The ball is placed where the

flag lands.

• If a player who has one or no flags in their belt takes possession of the ball, the play is dead at that spot on the field.

• A defensive player may not intentionally pull the flags off of a player who is not in possession of the ball.

• Flag guarding is an attempt by the ball-carrier to obstruct the defender's access to the flags by stiff arming, dropping the head, hand, ball, arm or shoulder, or intentionally covering the flags with their jersey.

DEFENSE

• Blitz line is 10 yards- must be fully behind the 10 yard indicator to be an eligible rusher. If the offense is within 5 yards of the endzone- blitzer must be at the very back of the endzone.

• The blitzer cannot “reset” if he/she is front of the blitz line when the ball is snapped. If the blitzer jumps in front of the blitz line but resets BEFORE the ball snapped, it is a LEGAL blitz.

• Any defensive player behind the rush line at the time of the snap is a legal rusher and is allowed to cross the line of scrimmage. The defensive team may have any number of legal rushers

• The Offense cannot impede the blitzer/rusher in any way. The blitzer/rusher must have a clear path to the QB. If any offensive player interferes and blocks the path of the blitzer/rusher they will penalized for screening. The defense may attempt to block a pass as long as they do not strike the passer.

• Defenders may safely dive to capture an opponent’s flag but must avoid excessive contact.

• Stripping or attempting to strip the ball from a player in possession is illegal
  

FORMATIONS

• Offenses must have a minimum of 1 player on the line of scrimmage (the center) and up to 4 players on the line of scrimmage. The quarterback must be off the line of scrimmage. Teams may shift formations prior to the snap as long as they are set for at least 1 second before the ball is snapped. One player at a time may go in motion at

a time.

• Movement by a player who is set or a player who runs toward the line of scrimmage while in motion is considered a false start.

• The center must snap the ball with a rapid and continuous motion between his/her legs to a player in the backfield, and the ball must completely leave his/her hands

• The center cannot be the first person to receive a hand-off

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

• If the field monitor or referee witnesses any acts of intentional tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, blocking or any unsportsmanlike act, the game will be stopped and the player will be ejected from the game. The decision is made at the referee's discretion. No appeals will be considered.

• FOUL PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!

• Offensive or confrontational language is NOT allowed. Officials have the right to determine offensive language. If offensive or confrontational language occurs, the officials will determine if a warning or immediate ejection is warranted.

• Ball-carriers MUST make an effort to avoid defenders with an established position.

• Defenders must give free releases off the line of scrimmage to offensive players and are not allowed to run through the ball-carrier when pulling flags.

• ROUGH PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED

• Fans must also adhere to good sportsmanship as well: Yell to cheer on your players, not to harass officials or other teams. Keep comments clean and profanity free. Compliment ALL players, not just one child or team.

• Fans are required to keep fields safe and kids friendly: Keep younger kids and equipment such as coolers, chairs and tents a minimum of 10 yards off the field in the end zone area. Stay in the end zone area, not between fields. Dispose of ALL trash in designated trash cans.
  

PENALTIES

• All offensive penalties are a loss of down. All defensive penalties are an automatic first down for the offense.