Current NIRSA (National Intramural Recreational Sports Association) shall govern all intramural rules used for flag football at University of Massachusetts Lowell unless modified by the Intramural department for program needs. Persons subject to the rules are team representatives, including players, substitutes, replaced players, coaches, trainers, and  spectators. Other persons affiliated with the team are subject to the rules of the game and shall be governed by decisions of officials assigned to the game. 

Equipment

  1. Illegal/Prohibited Equipment is as listed but not limited to the following:
    • Helmets & pads or braces worn above the waist
    • Shoes with metal, rubber, ceramic, screw-in or detachable cleats
    • Ski or logger boots or boots with exposed metal, hook(s), loop (s) or soles exceeding two inches
    • Any item containing exposed knots: including bandannas, do-rags and stocking caps
    • Headwear containing any hard and unyielding material          
    • Pants, shorts or jerseys with any belt(s), belt loop(s), pocket(s), exposed drawstring or zippers
    • Tear-away pants, shorts or jerseys
    • Jewelry: including earrings, rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces
    • Any exposed body or facial piercing must be taken out
    • Hooded coats and sweatshirts
    • Hard and unyielding leg and knee brace material
  2. Legal Equipment
    • Protective gear is highly recommended (Mouth, crotch and pelvic protectors)
    • Shoes made of canvas, leather or synthetic material which covers the foot and attached to a firm sole of leather, rubber or composition material
    • Jersey (short/long sleeve or sweaters) must be long enough to remain tucked into pants or short enough the jersey is not hanging over the player’s waistline
    • Pants or shorts without belt(s), belt loop(s), pocket(s), exposed drawstring or zippers
    • Knit headwear without a bill and headbands      
    • Hair accessories, knee pads, gloves and mittens that are soft, pliable and nonabrasive
    • Play books may be carried inside clothing
  3. Game balls will be provided by the Office of Campus Recreation.
  4. If teams wish to warm up, they must provide their own ball.
  5. Teams must wear matching colored shirts.  Matching pinnies may be checked out from the supervisor on duty.
  6. Shirts must be worn and tucked in
  7. Each player must wear the flag belts provided by Campus Recreation.

If at any point a player is caught wearing metal, rubber cleats or caught tying a flag belt illegally they will be ejected from the game immediately.  They will have to meet with the Intramural Coordinator before they may participate in another Intramural function. 

Forfeits

Forfeit time is ten minutes from the scheduled starting time of the contest. The game will begin when five players are present from the original roster.  Additional players on the original roster may be added to the score sheet and enter the game as they arrive.  

In order to claim a forfeit, a team must have the minimum number of players present and ready to play.  If neither team is able to field the correct number of players, a double forfeit will be declared.

The Game

Two teams consisting of seven players each will play the game.  A minimum of five players must be present to avoid a forfeit. 

All players and coaches on the sidelines must stay between the 20-yard line markers and at least one yard behind the out of bounds lines.Games shall consist of two halves of twenty minutes.  The game clock will be stopped the last two minutes of each half on out of bounds, incomplete passes, penalties, etc.  There will be a three-minute half time separating the first and second halves.The game clock will run continually through the first 18 minutes of each half.  Exceptions to the running clock are injuries or other extenuating circumstances at the referee’s discretion.

At the two-minute warning of each half the clock will stop for a:

  • Incomplete legal / illegal pass, pass goes out-of-bounds or penalty 
  • Team is awarded a new series after gaining a first down or a legal punt 
  • First down or touchdown 
  • Change of possession 
  • Team attempting to consume or conserve time illegally
  • Safety or touchback 
  • Time-out, referee’s time-out or inadvertent whistle

The ball must be put into play within the 25 second ready for play whistle, or the result will be a delay of game penalty.

Time-Outs

Each team is allowed one time-out per half.  Unused time-outs do not carry over to the second half. 

Time-outs can only be requested when the ball is dead and an official must grant the time-out.

Scoring

Touchdowns equal six points. 

Point after attempts from the three-yard line will result in one point, from the ten-yard line will result in two points and from the 20-yard line will result in three points. Tries are untimed downs during the last two minutes of each half.  Once you select your extra point amount the only way you may change it is if you call a timeout before the ready for play whistle.

Safety equals two points. 

Ball in play after a score

Touchdown or safety – ball will be placed on 8-yard line. NO KICKOFFS!

Overtime

  1. A coin toss will be conducted with the winner having the choice of offense or defense.
  2. Each team will be given four downs in which to score from the twenty-yard line.
  3. Both teams will go in the same direction.
  4. When a team scores a touchdown, they receive an extra point attempt under the same previsions as during regulation play.
  5. If a pass is intercepted, it ends the offensive team’s possessions, and can be advanced by the defending team.
  6. This procedure will be conducted until a winner has been determine.

Mercy Rule

If a team is 19 or more points ahead with 2 minutes left in the second half.     

The Playing Field

The field will be 50 yards in length and 34 yards in width. Teams will only be able to receive one first down located at mid field.

Game Rules/Definitions

Coin Toss: A coin toss will be conducted prior to the beginning of the game.  The team winning the toss will choose one of the following options:

  • Receive the ball
  • Defend the goal 
  • Defer to the second half

The team losing the toss will have the same choice of options at the beginning of the second half.

The team that is selected for offense will receive the ball at their own 8-yard line.  It will be First Down; zone line to gain is the 50 (mid field).  THERE WILL BE NO  KICKOFFS!  The team on offense will receive the ball on their 8-yard line to start the game as well as the second half.  Also after any scoring the ball will be placed on the 8-yard line.

On each play the ball will be put into play at the point in which the ball was downed, or on the closest hash mark.

The offensive team must have a minimum of four players on the line of scrimmage.  The quarterback must be a minimum of two yards behind the center in order to receive the snap.  The defensive team may have players in any formation. 

Substitutions

  • All subs must enter field from their team bench. 
  • No substitute shall enter during a down. 
  • Substitution can occur between downs, an accepted penalty, time-out, injury or ending of a half. 
  • Substitutes shall be on their side of the neutral zone before ball is snapped / becomes live

Motion

Only one player from the offensive team may be in motion at the time of the snap.  The player in motion must be moving parallel to or away from the line of scrimmage.  Any number of offensive players may shift as often as desired, as long as they are set for one second prior to the snap of the ball.  Any and all defensive players may shift and move prior to and at the time of the snap.

No player may line up less than five yards from the sideline.

Yardage and Downs

  • The ball is declared dead and ends a down when:
  • The ball carrier is de-flagged. 
  • The ball touches the ground, other than on a punt. 
  • A ball carrier runs out of bounds. 
  • Any body part of the ball carrier that touches the ground other than his/her feet or hands. 
  • A ball carrier that inadvertently loses his/her flags is touched with one hand.

The offensive team has four downs to advance the ball into the next zone for a first down or into the end zone for a touchdown. 

If yardage is lost and the offensive team is moved back over a previously crossed zone line, crossing the same line again will not result in a first down (double stakes).

Passing

Forward passes may be made from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage.  Only one forward pass may be attempted per down.  At any point you may hand or throw the ball backward, there is no limit to the number of backward passes attempted per down.

Every member of the offensive team is eligible for a pass. 

The passes become eligible to catch his or her own pass once the ball is touched by a defensive player.

For a pass to be complete or intercepted, the receiver or interceptor must establish themselves in bounds (one foot, one body part touching in bounds before touching out of bounds).

An incomplete forward pass is returned to the previous spot for the next down or change of possession after the fourth down.

Incomplete backward passes will be dead at the point where the ball touches the ground.

An intercepted pas may not be thrown forward, only backward.

Blocking

There is no contact of any kind allowed in flag football.  Screen blocking is the only legal form of blocking which is defined as:

Obstructing an opponent without any physical contact between the offensive and defensive players, only the most accidental contact which does not provide an advantage will be tolerated!

Offensive players must be in an upright position.  No three or four point stances. Offensive lineman must keep their hands at their sides, behind their backs or crossed in front of them. No arm extension either forward or to the side will be allowed.

Defensive Use of Hands

Defensive lineman must go around offensive lineman and may not make contact! (i.e. push them out of the way, charge them).

Defensive players may not:

Dive or leave their feet to remove a flag. 

Hold, push or pull the ball carrier when taking a flag. 

Push a ball carrier out of bounds to stop his or her progress. 

Initiate contact with the quarterback when trying to break up a play (i.e. hit his/her arm, run into the quarterback).

Downing the Ball

When a defensive player deflags a ball carrier, he/she should hold it up so officials and players can see that play has ended.

If a runner intentionally loses his/her flags while running or receiving the ball, he/she must be touched anywhere from the shoulders down by a defender to be downed.

Punts

On any down a team may select to punt the ball away.  You must notify the referee and there are no fake punts.  The offensive team must have 4 people on the line of scrimmage.  Neither team may enter the neutral zone until the ball has been kicked.  In the case of a muffed or fumbled punt, it is down where it touches the ground.  In the case of a punt which bounces before it is touched, it may be fielded by an offensive player or downed by a defensive player.

There are NO fair catches! If a player signals for a fair catch it should be ignored and play should continue.

Fumbles

All fumbled balls touching the ground are immediately dead.  The ball is put into play at the spot where the ball hits the ground.  In the case where the ball is fumbled forward, the ball is put into play at the spot where the player lost possession of the ball.

The ball is also dead when:

  • The center snaps the ball and it hits the ground before it reaches the quarterback. 
  • A lateral or backward pass hits the ground. 
  • A fumbled ball by the offensive team in their own end zone constitutes a safety.  
  • If a ball carrier fumbles the ball forward and it lands in the opponent’s end zone, the result is a touchback with the opposing team receiving the ball at their own 8 yardline.

Player Disqualification

A player will be ejected for the following but not limited to:

  • Two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the same game. 
  • Any act which, is intended to injure another player. (Up to the judgement of the official)  
  • Fighting 
  • Intentional contact with an official. 
  • Any other act deemed severe enough by the official (i.e. extreme or extended use of profane language).

An ejected player must leave the game site after filling out paper work with the supervisor on duty.   If the person being ejected fails to leave then the game will result in a forfeit.  Any person ejected will be suspended automatically for one week and must meet with the Intramural Coordinator before he/she may participate again.  

Penalties

All of the following infractions will result in a five-yard penalty.

Delay of Game

  • Failure to put the ball in play within twenty-five seconds after the ball is ready to play. 
  • Putting the ball in play before it is declared ready by the officials. 
  • Failure to punt the ball immediately after receiving the snap on a protected punt kick.

Illegal Procedure

  • False Start 
  • Illegal snap 
  • Kick of out of bounds 
  • Receiving a snap within two-yards of the line of scrimmage.

Encroachment 

After the center has placed his/her hands on the ball, it is illegal for any player to enter the neutral zone.

Illegal Motion 

One offensive player may be in motion at the time the ball is snapped.  The player in motion must be moving parallel to or away from the line of scrimmage.

Illegal Formation 

An offensive team that does not have four players on the line of scrimmage to begin a play.

Illegal Time-Out

When a time out is asked for, by a team, and they have none remaining

Illegal Forward Pass

  • The passer's foot is beyond the line of scrimmage. 
  • A pass thrown after a possession change. 
  • A passer catches his/her untouched pass. 
  • There is more than one forward pass per down.  (This penalty also includes a loss of down).

Intentional Grounding

Throwing the ball out of bounds or throwing the ball away to avoid a loss of yardage.  (This penalty also includes a loss of down).

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFRACTIONS WILL RESULT IN A TEN-YARD PENALTY:

Fair Catch Interference

The punting team may not obstruct the path of the receiver of the punt. (Ten yards and repeat fourth down).

Illegally Secured Flag Belt and/or Metal Cleats

A flag belt that is secured in any manner other than the way it is intended to be secured or metal cleats.  (Also includes loss of down and player ejection).

Illegal Contact

Any contact, a player may not hold, push, or knock the runner down in attempt to remove the flag belt.

Roughing the Passer

Defensive players must make a definite effort to avoid charging into the passer after it is clear the ball has been thrown.  (Includes automatic first down).

Illegal Participation

To many players on the field.  Playing a disqualified player.

Unnecessary Roughness

Tripping, handling, tackling, contact after the ball is declared dead, any contact with fists, forearms, or hands.  (Includes disqualification if the act is flagrant.)

Flag Guarding

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.

Examples of flag guarding include, but are not limited to: 

  • Placing or swinging the hand or arm over the flag belt. 
  • Placing the ball in possession over the flag belt. 
  • Lowering the shoulders in such a manner that places the arm over the flag belt.

Defensive Pass Interference

On a legal forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage, defenders may not interfere with an eligible receiver.  This includes deflagging a receiver before he/she has touched the ball.  (Includes automatic first down.)

Offensive Pass Interference

Interference or contact that interferes with a defenders’ right for the ball.  (Includes loss of down.)

With regards to pass interference, both offensive and defensive players have an equal right to the ball.

Playoffs

All teams completing the regular season with a 3.5 sportsmanship rating or better to be eligible for playoffs.  Individuals must have been listed on the team’s roster for at least one (1) regular season contest in order to be eligible to play in the playoffs.