Flag Football Rules
*=applies to ALL CSI IM events
*CSI IM Flag Football will be played by the following rules. Team captains
are responsible for the eligibility and conduct of all their players. Every
participant is responsible for the rules and regulations in the Intramural
Handbook which can be found at:
www.csidolphins.com/documents/2013/12/30/INTRAMURAL_MANUAL.pdf?ta
b=immanual
*I.D. Check-in-Policy and Procedure
A. All students, staff and faculty MUST present a valid CSI Dolphin
Identification Card; Non-affiliates will not be allowed to participate.
B. There will be no exceptions to this policy. If you do not present a valid
CSI Dolphin Identification Card you will NOT be allowed to participate
in the Intramural activity.
1. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Each team should start the game with 6
players; a minimum of 4 is needed to avoid forfeit. A player may play
on only 1 team per sport.
2. LENGTH OF GAME: Playing time shall be 30 minutes, 2 halves of 15
minutes. Halftime shall be 5 minutes. A coin toss will determine who
shall receive the choice of possession or side at the beginning of the
game. If only 1 team is ready at game time, they will have the choice.
In case of overtime, there will be a 3 minute intermission prior to
starting overtime. If weather conditions are unbearable to the referee
and supervisor will postpone the game to a later date.
3. OVERTIME (TIE GAME): If the game score is tied after regulation
time, then a coin toss will determine who will get the ball and side.
Each team will have the chance to score in series of 4 downs from the
10yd line. The offensive team can only pass, there is no running the
ball in OT. If the score is still tied after each team has had a try, a
second series is played and so on until a winner is determined.
4. MERCY RULE: If a team is 17 points or more ahead when the referee
announces the 2 minute warning for the 2nd half, the game shall be
over. If a team scores during the last 2 minutes of the 2nd half, and
that score creates a point differential of 17 or more points, the game
shall end at that point.
5. FIRST DOWNS: The offensive team will have 4 downs (starting at the
10 yard line) to get to midfield. If they reach midfield in 4 downs, they
will then have another 4 downs to score. The offensive team may run
or pass as many times as they like as long as they are abiding to the
blocking rules.
6. QB RUNNING/RUSHING THE QB: The QB is allowed to run as much
as he wants as long as he is complying with all other rules (see Frozen
Zone rules). However, the pass rusher may not cross the line of
scrimmage to sack the QB until the referee has completed a “7
Mississippi Count”.
7. FROZEN ZONE: The offensive team has the choice to run or pass as
much as they want UNLESS they are inside the “frozen zone”. The
Frozen Zone includes the 40-50 yard lines, and the 10-Goal yard lines.
Inside the Frozen Zone there is NO RUNNING allowed. If a team hands
off inside the Frozen Zone they will be penalized that down.
8. PUNTING/THROWING: There is no punting, kicking, or throw-offs.
To start a drive, the offensive team will start from the opposite 10
yard line. On 4th down, the offensive team can go for it, or “kick” it
and the other team’s defense will then take it from the 10 yard line.
9. LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: The ball will be hiked from the line of
scrimmage by the selected pass rusher on the defense.
10. BACKWARD PASSES AND FUMBLES: A player may not
intentionally through a backward pass out of bounds to conserve time
or to avoid being downed. This will be penalized as an illegal pass (loss
of 5 yards); loss of down and the clock will start when ready for play.
On a backward pass once the ball has touched the ground the ball is
considered dead. On a fumble, the ball is also considered dead where
the ball carrier lost possession; there will be no change in possession.
11. FORWARD PASSES AND INTERCEPTIONS: If a player is in the air
attempting to catch the ball, the player must contact the ground with
one foot in bounds with the ball in their possession prior to going outof-bounds, unless contact by an opponent causes a player to first
touch out of bounds. If possession of the ball is lost simultaneously
when they hit the ground, it is not a catch. If a forward pass is caught
simultaneously by members of opposing teams; the ball is dead at the
spot and belongs to the team that snapped the ball.
12. PASS INTERFERENCE: It is pass interference if an eligible receiver
is deflagged or touched prior to touching the ball on a pass thrown
beyond the offensives line of scrimmage. If the pass interference by
the defense is intentional and/or unsportsmanlike, the defense may be
penalized an additional 10 yards.
13. SCORING:
 Touchdowns= 6 points
 Extra Points= 1 point if successful running
 Extra Points= 2 points if successful passing
 Safety= 2 points
*Once a team has made their choice on the extra point, they can only
change their decision by taking a timeout.
14. TIMEOUTS: There are two timeouts per half and one for overtime.
Timeouts not used in a half cannot be carried over to the next half or
overtime.
15. SAFETY: If a player carries the ball across the goal line they are
defending and the ball becomes dead while in their team's possession,
it is a safety. If a team commits a foul in the end zone where the spot
of enforcement is designated as the spot of the foul, it will be declared
a safety. A team recording a safety will receive two points, and
the opposing team (the team who was scored upon) will punt
the ball from their own 20 yard line.
 EXCEPTION: When a player intercepts a forward pass or catches a
scrimmage kick between their 5 yard line and their goal line and
their momentum carries them into the end zone where the ball
becomes dead, the ball will belong to the receiving team at the spot
of the catch of reception.
16. PERSONAL FOULS: Any act listed below or any other act of
unnecessary roughness is a personal foul.
17. PLAYERS SHALL NOT:
a. Punch, strike, strip, steal, or attempt to steal the ball from a
player in possession
b. Trip an opponent
c. Contact an opponent who is on the ground
d. Throw the runner to the ground
e. Hurdle any other player
f. Contact an opponent before or after the ball is declared dead
g. Make any contact with an opponent, which is deemed
unnecessary
h. Deliberately drive or run into a defensive player
i. Clip an opponent
j. Position themselves on the shoulders of a teammate or opponent
to gain an advantage
k. Tackle the runner
18. STIFF-ARMING: is not allowed, a personal foal will be called, and if
warranted an unsportsmanlike conduct or ejection will result.
19. OBSTRUCTING THE RUNNER: A defensive player shall not hold,
grasp, or obstruct the forward progress of the runner when attempting
to remove the flag belt.
20. SCREEN BLOCKING: Shall take place with light contact. The blocker
shall have their arms straight out and their hands out. A screen
blocker cannot use their hands to grab the defense, elbows, legs or
body to inhibit the defense from moving. If they do inhibit the defense,
it will be called a Personal Foul.
21. FLAG BELTS: All shirts must be tucked in, and are not permitted to
hang over the flag belt. Should a player lose their flag belt legally or
illegally during a down and that player gains possession of a live ball,
that player will be considered down when a legal tag is made. (Two
handed touch by the defense between the shoulders and knees,
including the hand or arm) When a player scores, they must
immediately raise their hands and allow an official to check their flag
belt. This is done to insure that the flag belt has not been illegally
secured. If the belt has been illegally secured, the score is disallowed
and a 10 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be administered
from the previous spot. Players must have possession of the ball. In
cases where a flag belt is removed illegally, play should continue with
the option of the penalty of the play (Penalty: Personal foul, 10 yards.)
22. GUARDING THE FLAG BELT: Runners shall not flag guard by using
their hands, arms, or the ball to deny the opportunity for an opponent
to pull or remove the flag belt.
FLAG GUARDING INCLUDES:



Swinging the hand or arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent
from deflagging.
Placing the ball in possession over the flag belt to prevent an opponent
from deflagging.
Lowering the shoulders in such a manner, which flag guards.
23. OFFICIAL'S AUTHORITY: An official assumes authority 15 minutes
prior to the scheduled game time, and until they have left the field.
The officials have the authority to rule on any situation not specifically
covered in the rules. His/Her decision is final, unless ruled otherwise
by the supervisor on duty or have them sit out of part or all of the
game. Spectators are a part of a team and fouls they commit will go
against their team.
24. THE BALL: An official size football will be used.
25. ADVANCING THE BALL: The offensive team cannot advance the
ball through their scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal procedure, 5 yards
from the previous spot. There are no restrictions: during a run by a
runner, once the ball is beyond the offensive scrimmage line and after
a change of possession. Remember also that once the ball has been
legally advanced past the line of scrimmage, the line of scrimmage no
longer exists. Therefore runners may receive laterals or pitches from
ball carries beyond the line of scrimmage and may advance the ball
across what had originally been the line of scrimmage.