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Coed Flag Football Rules

What we bring
- Flags
- A high school sized football
- Team uniforms

What you bring
- Sneakers or cleats (no metal cleats)
- Pants without pockets (mandatory)
- Long pants (recommended to avoid turf burn)
- Football gloves & mouthguard (optional)
- Please do not wear any jewelry

Teams
- Games are 5v5. There must be at least 1 woman on the field at all times.
- If 0 females are present, then only 4 men can be on the field.

Sub Policy
- If you do not have enough players for the evening, you may borrow players from other teams in the league or a non-rostered substitute player. You can take substitute if you have less than 2 bench players. 
- There will be a 6 point penalty for borrowing an in-league player. If a second in-league player is also substituting, then another 6 point penalty will be added to the previous 6 points.
- You may register a non-rostered substitute player as a substitute. Non-rostered subs must be registered through our website prior to arriving at the field. Non-rostered Subs will pay $15 to play (given to the league manager) and must show proof of registration to referee when arriving at the field.
- If there are zero or one female, then a team may bring a female substitute regardless of how many male players are present.
- Teams that require more than two subs to field a team will automatically forfeit.  Opposing team may choose to offer players to compete in scrimmage game if desired. The opposing team will be awarded a 27-0 score.

Playoffs

- The number of teams that make the playoffs will vary by league size.  
- Regular season play identifies the teams that will make the playoffs as well as seeding for playoff schedule.  If regular season win/loss records result in a tie for a playoff spot or higher playoff seeding, the playoff tiebreaker rules are as follows:

- Head to head match ups. If still tied, then refer to:
- Highest point differential in head to head match ups - if still tied, then refer to: 
- Highest point differential through entire season.

- Substitutes are not allowed during playoffs unless the opposing team agrees to it.

Overtime
- A coin toss will determine first possession. Each team gets a chance to score.
- Regular season games will have a 5 minute overtime limit. Game will end in a tie if no score within 5 minutes.
- Playoff games will continue indefinitely, untimed until there is a score.

Game & Field Set-up
- Games consist of two 20 minute halves with a running clock until the final 2 minutes of each half. 
- The clock stops during the two minute warning unless there is an 27 point differential. Teams may not use time outs if there is a 27 point differential.
- 25 second play clock. Referee will announce five second warning.
- Each team can use 2 timeouts per half. Timeouts are for one minute and play clock begins at the end of one minute.
- The ball starts on the 5-yard line.
- First down occurs by crossing midfield. First down does not apply if line of scrimmage is pushed behind midfield by loss of yards. There must be one play made by a female (i.e. run, pass, or catch the ball) that makes positive yards in order to get the first down.
- There are four downs per possession. There is a maximum of one first down per possession.

Gameplay - Scoring
- Touchdowns are 6 points for men crossing the end zone with the ball and 9 points for women crossing the end zone with the ball.
- Safety is worth 2 points to the defensive team. The defensive team takes possession of the ball at the ten (10) yard line.

Gameplay - Rules
- There must be one play made by a female (i.e. run, pass, or catch the ball) that makes positive yards in order to get the first down. If this is not completed (or a touchdown is not scored) within the four down series, then possession of the ball will change.
- Blocking is allowed but players who block must keep their hands behind their back or crossed in front of their chest.
- Rushing is allowed after three (3) seconds.  Defensive team must have one dedicated "pass rusher" who stays at the line of scrimmage until the 3 second timer. After 3 seconds that player can rush the Quarterback or drop back into coverage.
- Defensive players cannot start a play more than fifteen (15) yards away from the line of scrimmage.
- After three seconds, the quarterback can run only once per four downs but cannot throw the ball if they have run beyond the line of scrimmage.
- The quarterback can pass the ball laterally before crossing the line of scrimmage, however, that player cannot run with the ball. The player can only throw the ball.
- On fourth down, a team may chose to play or punt the ball. If the ball is played, and the team unsuccessfully completes their fourth down, then the opposing team starts their drive with the ball at that spot.
- A punt that hits the ceiling will be given to the opposing team one yard short of the mid-field first down marker.
- One person may be in motion before the snap, but everyone else must be set.

Gameplay - "Tackling"
- Players must wear 3 flags whether on offense or defense. Players with less than 3 attached flags are considered down upon possession.
- Player who steps on out of bounds line or steps out of bounds and then returns in bounds is ineligible to receive a pass.
- Player with the ball who has a knee or hip touch the ground is considered down.
- Player must bring at least one foot down in bounds for a reception.  The first foot to touch the ground must land in bounds.  
- The position of the ball for the next down is where the player's flags were pulled.
- If a player's flags fall off not from being pulled by another player, then the player needs to be tagged for the play to end.

Gameplay - Safety
- Fumbles are dead balls.  Fumbles cannot be recovered or advanced.  The team that fumbled takes possession at the spot the ball hits the ground, or the spot where the player lost the ball, whichever is less advantageous position for fumbler (in other words, you can't fumble forward to gain yards).  Fumble rule applies to kick offs and punts.
- There is no diving.
- There is no tackling.
- It is the responsibility of all players to avoid contact. Please play with awareness of others on the field.

5-yard Penalties - 5 yards from Line of Scrimmage/Redo the down
- Crossing the line of scrimmage early
- Delay of game
- Incidental illegal contact
- Illegal formation (i.e. safeties are further than 15 yards from the LOS)
- Illegal motion (i.e. player crossing the line of scrimmage before the QB hikes the ball/"pass rusher" crossing the line before the three (3) second timer goes off)
- Illegal forward pass
- Offsides
- Too many players on the field

5-yard Penalties - Additional
- Diving and jumping to advance the ball (5 yards from spot of foul & loss of down)
- Diving and sliding to impede a runner (5 yards from spot of foul & automatic first down)
- Flag guarding (Spot Foul)

10-yard Penalties - 10 yards from Line of Scrimmage
- Intentional illegal contact (Automatic first down)
- Unsportsmanlike conduct (Automatic first down)
- Roughing the passer (Automatic first down)
- Offensive pass interference (Redo the down)

Spot Foul
- Defensive pass interference (Automatic first down)

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