MILTON MENS FLAG RULES
Revised 25 July 2010
Games will be governed by the TFONT Rulebook available at www.tfont.com unless specifically covered in the following rules.
1. Games will consist of four 20-minute quarters. At the 3-minute warning in the second and fourth quarters, five plays will remain. Of these five, a kickoff counts as one play, but a conversion attempt does not. With the exception of the last play of the five, penalty applications will not result in the addition of another play. Half time will be five minutes.
2. Each team is allowed two 1-minute time outs per game.
3. A regulation team has eight on-field players, but games may start with six on-field players. A team may choose to loan players to the opposing team in order to make a playable game.
4. A team is allowed 15 minutes after the official starting time to field the required number of players (6) for the game. Nevertheless, a delay-of-game penalty of 20 yards will be applied on the opening kickoff against the offending team. The non-offending team will also have the choice both halves.
5. The offensive team has three downs to advance the ball twenty yards in order to maintain possession.
6. The rusher must start from 10 yards away, and must not line up directly in line with the centre.
7. The defending team may also cross the line of scrimmage once the ball leaves the hands of the quarterback.
8. Flags must be conspicuous and must be worn at the sides. Any attempt at hiding a flag, or fastening it in any manner other than the intended method, will incur a 20-yard “Objectionable Conduct” penalty. All jerseys must be tucked into shorts/pants, which must have no pockets, or the opening must be taped shut.
9. Play stops where a flag is pulled.
10. If a ball carrier has dropped a flag, play continues, but a one-hand touch by the opposition is sufficient to terminate that play.
11. Guarding a flag in any manner will result in a whistle-stopping the play at the point of infraction, with a 10-yard penalty applied from that point. If a first down is gained then the 10-yard penalty is applied making it first and 30 or point of foul 10 yards applied first down. Straight arming an opponent is considered guarding unless deemed unnecessary roughness by official.
12. A player who falls, or touches the ground with one or both knees, while in possession of the ball, may not get up and continue, unless he is in the act of receiving a punt or kickoff. 13. Once a player has possession of the ball, it may not be intentionally slapped at, or in any other way taken away by a defender. These actions will receive a penalty of 10 yards from the spot of the infraction.
14. In the event that a whistle is accidentally blown before the ball carrier’s flag has been pulled, the team in possession shall have the following options:
a. Accept the play outcome as if the inadvertent whistle had not been blown;
b. Return to the line of scrimmage and replay the down.
15. Legal Kickoff
a. The ball, unless touched by an opponent, must be kicked more than 20 yards towards the opponent’s Goal Line before it may be legally touched or recovered by a member of the kicking team.
b. PENALTY: L5 kickoff repeated or receiving team may take possession at the point the ball was first touched by the kicking team.
16. Kick From Scrimmage & Open-Field Kick
Onside & Offside
An onside player is a member of the kicker’s team who is behind the ball at the instant it is kicked towards the opponent’s Dead Line.
An offside player is a member of the kicker’s team who is not onside.
An offside player becomes an onside player when the ball, after being kicked towards the opponent’s Dead Line, touches or is touched by an opponent, the kicker or another onside player.
a. Onside Player
The kicker or an onside player may enter the 5-yard restraining zone and legally recover the kicked ball, but shall not interfere with an opponent attempting to recover the ball.
b. Recovery Of Own Kick
The kicker or an onside player may recover the kick across the line of scrimmage, in which case the ensuing down shall be first down whether or not the original yardage has been gained.
c. Non-recovery Of Own Kick
If the kicked ball has not been touched and, in the judgment of the official, no effort is being made by either team to recover the ball, the ball may be declared dead and possession awarded to the receiving team.
17. Fumbles are DEAD upon contact with the ground, unless on a punt or kickoff.
18. A snap fumbled by the quarterback is in play. A snap that goes over the quarterback’s head is in play.
19. A legal lateral in the offensive backfield that is fumbled by the halfback is live if first touched by halfback and DEAD if not. If dead the ball will be placed at the spot where it touched the ground.
20. From the opponent’s 10-yard line in, the quarterback is not allowed to run with the ball and cross the line of scrimmage. He may lateral to a player who may run, or may lateral and become a pass receiver.
21. Scoring:
Touchdown 6 points
Convert (kick) 1 point
Convert (run/pass) 2 points
Field goal 3 points
Safety touch 2 points
Rouge 1 point
22. When Team B downs the ball in the end zone as a result of a missed field goal or a punt, Team A is awarded 1 point and Team B scrimmages from its own 35-yard line.
23. If Team B intercepts in its end zone and downs the ball, no point is awarded, and B scrimmages from its own 20-yard line.
24. After Team A’s successful field goal, Team B has the option of scrimmaging from its own 35-yard line, or having Team A kick off from A’s 45-yard line.
25. Pass interference is ruled as:
a. Target area (5-yard radius of intended receiver) by defense- Point of foul- automatic first down. Target area by offense- change of possession
b. Remote area inference (any area in field of play) – Penalty 20 yards from line of scrimmage and repeat the down.
26. Blocking incurs a 20-yard penalty from point of last scrimmage, and loss of down. Running interference will be considered blocking. A pick is legal only if the player creating the pick is stationary.
27. Intentional tackling results in a 20-yard penalty from the spot of the infraction, and an automatic first down.
28. Unnecessary roughness/personal fouls will be a 20-yard penalty. Contact with the QB throwing arm or above the shoulders during a pass is not permitted.
29. Fighting incurs automatic ejection of the participants, and a minimum suspension of the following game. Any player determined to be an instigator in a fight is subject to expulsion from the league, if he does it more than once in a season. (League Commissioner’s decision.)
30. Anyone verbally abusing a referee will be ejected from that game, with a 20-yard penalty applied.
31. Foul language or anti-ethnic remarks will not be tolerated. Such infractions will incur a penalty of 20 yards and possible ejection of the offending player, at the Referee’s discretion.
In the case of ties in the standings, the following criteria will be applied to determine order: Defaulted games- the team with more defaults loses; Head-to-head record during the regular season; Point differential… points scored minus points allowed, and the team with the greater differential wins; Coin toss.