TYFA Flag Football Rulebook 2016 Flag Football Rulebook Table of Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Terminology & Symbols ............................................................................................................................ 4 Rule 1. Clock Management ....................................................................................................................... 5 Rule 2. Scoring & Winning ....................................................................................................................... 11 Rule 3. Offense & Defense ........................................................................................................................ 16 Rule 4. Special Teams ............................................................................................................................... 31 Rule 5. Contact ............................................................................................................................................. 33 Rule 6. Conduct ........................................................................................................................................... 35 Preface TYFA’s “Flag” football program uses a homegrown set of rules. The Flag Football Rulebook explains the rules pertinent to Flag Football in TYFA. This rulebook is for coaches and coach trainees. TYFA makes the assumption that the coach has a good working knowledge of the basics of flag football. Not being familiar with the contents of this rulebook will not be accepted as an excuse or a defense for violations. TYFA expects its participants to comply with the letter, spirit and intent of each of its policies, procedures and rules regardless of technicalities, loopholes and ambiguous language. TYFA’s interpretation of any non-NCAA policy, procedure or rule is the official and final interpretation. Terminology & Symbols Used when the topic is important. Used when we highly recommend something shouldn’t be done. Real Important Badged Athlete or Volunteer is defined as a person who is certified by TYFA. Ejected (Level ?) is an ejection from the game and lists the level of disciplinary action that will be attached. Eligible Coach is a volunteer who has been certified by TYFA and is not currently on any holds. Is both eligible and legal. Forfeits Class A = Pre-Game and carries the most disciplinary action Class B = Game Time and carries disciplinary action Class C = Game Time with no disciplinary action “ON-FIELD” minimum of eligible players is the minimum number of players who’ve been certified by TYFA and are not currently on any holds that must be on the field to avoid a forfeit. [7 for Flag]. TYFA Participants are Badged Volunteers, Badged Athletes, Referee and Black Shirt. Rule 1 – Clock Management Table of Contents Section 1. Periods & Intermissions ....................................................................................................... 6 Article 1. Periods (Quarters) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Article 2. Intermissions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Article 3. Period Extension ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Article 4. Homecoming Delays ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Section 2. Clock Mechanics ....................................................................................................................... 7 Article 1. The Play Clock................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Article 2. Timing Adjustments ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Article 3. Two-Minute Warning .................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Article 4. Game Clock Stops/Starts on Referee’s Signal ..................................................................................................................... 7 Article 5. Game Clock Stops/Starts on the Snap of the Ball .............................................................................................................. 7 Article 6. Game Clock Starts/Stops on Kickoffs ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Article 7. Game Clock does not run ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Article 8. Game Clock Stops/Starts during Mercy Rule ...................................................................................................................... 7 Article 9. Ten-Second Runoff ......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Section 3. Timeout Mechanics ................................................................................................................. 9 Article 1. Standard Timeouts ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Article 2. Injury Timeouts ............................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Article 3. Equipment/Uniform Timeouts ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Article 4. Mercy Rule Timeouts ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Article 5. Inadvertent Whistle ....................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Section 4. Spring Season Clock Adjustments .................................................................................... 10 Rule 1 – Clock Management Flag Football Rulebook Section 1 – Periods & Intermissions Page | 6 ARTICLE 1. PERIODS (QUARTERS) ARTICLE 2. INTERMISSIONS Periods in a game 4 Between Halves 10 Minutes Period Length Flag 10 Minutes Between Periods (Quarters) 1 Minute A White Hat or Black Shirt has the authority to reduce halftime or the time between games to a minimum of 2-minutes in order to try and avoid cancelling or postponing a game due to oncoming darkness or bad weather. ARTICLE 3. PERIOD EXTENSION If during a play where time expires ending a half the defense accepts a Live-Ball foul to remove an offensive score, there were offsetting Live-Ball fouls or a referee sounds his whistle inadvertently or otherwise incorrectly signals the ball dead, an untimed down will be played until a down is free of any of the circumstances listed. Example: The offense scores a touchdown to take a 12-7 lead. During the play the offense commits a live-ball foul and time expires in the period. The defense accepts the penalty to avoid the touchdown. Result: The penalty is marched off and the offense will be given an un-timed down. ***The period is not extended though if the statement of the penalty includes loss of down. ARTICLE 4. HOMECOMING DELAYS Homecoming events cannot delay the scheduled start of a game or half by more than 10 minutes (twenty minutes maximum [10 minute intermission + 10 minute extension]). If an organization needs more than a 10 minute extension, the start of the game or half may be extended to a maximum of 30 minutes (10 minute intermission and 20 minutes of extension), but they will be required to pay EACH referee an additional $10 per game. The White Hat will attempt to start the game at the 20-minute mark (or 30 if paid) and if either team refuses to take the field so the game or second half can start, the White Hat WILL declare a forfeit (Class A Forfeit if game had not started or Class B Forfeit if it had). If a game cannot be finished due to lack of light or bad weather because of Homecoming, the responsible organization will be charged with a (Level II Violation). Rule 1 – Clock Management Flag Football Rulebook Section 2 – Clock Mechanics Page | 7 THE OFFICIAL GAME CLOCK IS ALWAYS KEPT ON THE FIELD BY THE Rationale: Yes it looks professional to REFEREES UNLESS THERE IS A REFEREE CONROLLING THE have a running clock, and yes it keeps SCOREBOARD CLOCK. It should be announced to the public where the the spectators informed, but a clock official clock is being kept. If a referee is not controlling the scoreboard operator