Required Equipment:
- Mouth guards must be worn, in order to play. If the referee notices a player without a mouth guard the referee will stop the game and substitute for the player.
- Plastic cleats only.
Playing Time Rule
All members of the team who are eligible to play that day the coaches are expected to have a rotation in place for all kids as far as sitting out being on the bench from the beginning of the game until the end of the game. All players must sit at least 3 rotations / series for the game. The definition of a series would be a possession of the ball / turn on offense or playing defense for a possession. Exceptions could include if a child doesn’t want to participate or unable due to injury or a limited roster of 6 players or less.
Players are allowed to play any and/or all positions in the field doesn’t have to have a rotation here as far as positions go for offense or defense.
General rules:
- Possession begins with a coin toss. Offensive teams begin at their 5 yard line. Offense gets 4 plays to cross midfield which then gives them another 4 downs to cross the goal line.
- A fumble is ruled a dead ball and cannot be recovered by the defense. Ball is spotted at the place of the fumble.
- There must be a center to quarterback snap up and if the ball touches the ground by a fumble it is considered a dead ball and loss of down.
- Substitutions can only occur at the beginning or end of an offensive/defensive series in the spirit of moving the game along, unless injuries occur.
- The infamous “Muddle Huddle” play has been made illegal. We just feel there are better options that can be taught for organized football.
- A touchdown as ruled six points. Extra point can be worth one or two points depending on what the coach chooses.
- Games are two 25 minute half's with a two minute half time.
- OT: Each team gets 4 plays from midfield to score and then an extra point. If the game is still a tie at the end of one possession for each team then it is recorded as a tie.
- Each team receives 1 timeout per half.
- In the final minute of each half the clock will stop on a score. The extra point is untimed. The clock will also stop on a change of possession to allow the other team an opportunity. The only other time the clock shall stop is on an injury. Otherwise it runs continually.
- K-1 and 2-3 Divisions: will have an enforced 60 second clock from when the ball is spotted by the official to the snap of the play. First violation will result in a warning, second violation will be dead ball and loss of down. Please try to be organized and keep the game flowing.
- The 4th & 5th grade division: will utilize a shorter clock between plays. A reduced play clock of 40 seconds will be used for these older more organized teams.
-Offensive Motion is allowed for 1 player at a time pre-snap if desired.
-Rushing - No running up the middle will be allowed once the offensive team is within 5 yds of midfield or goalline, this location will be marked UNLESS the ball carrier crosses the harsh mark line which will be marked at midfield and goalline. (For Example) if Player A gets the handoff from within the hash marks and runs outside enough to have the ball cross the line they will be allowed to run up the middle at that time OR if a player is handed the ball outside of the hash marks with a reasonable attempt to run outside they would be allowed to run up the middle as well at the referee’s discretion.
-In an offensive series Team A run a total of 8 plays NO PLAYER is allowed to get the ball more than 4 times on a single series. Hand-offs and passes behind the line of scrimmage count towards this rule. If a pass occurs beyond the line of scrimmage this doesn't count towards the 4 touches rule. This will be enforced by the coaches (ref's will not watch this) and the penalty will be on the 5th touch of the same player will be a Loss of Down and dead ball foul. and game will resume where the play started.
-Defensive Offsides can occur if the defense comes across the line of scrimmage prior to hand-off or pass being caught behind the line of scrimmage and the play will be allowed to continue and the Offense will have a choice of the result of the play OR a 5 yard penalty and re-play of the down whatever is greater.
Due to limited space once the team on offense crosses the defenses 5 yard line rushing will no longer be allowed.
IMPORTANT THAT GAMES START ON TIME. We realize we are likely to get behind but there is plenty of space to warm up. Do that and be ready once the previous game clears your field. The coin toss will happen and the game will start promptly thereafter.
(4th and 5th Division ONLY) *Modified in 2024
-Rushing the quarterback which is allowed from a 9-10 yard cone that one of the officials will place between plays. Rushing can start once the ball is hiked. The blitzer can come from anywhere behind the 9-10 yard line. There can only be 1 person blitzing per play.
No Fake Blitzing Rule: Teams are prohibited from executing a fake blitz, which involves sending two or more players towards the line of scrimmage with the intention of only one player continuing the blitz based on proximity to the play.
If the Defensive team decides to blitz and crosses the line of scrimmage the QB is allowed to run the ball / scramble.
If the Defensive teams does NOT Blitz the QB isn't allowed to run and will have a 6 seconds to either hand-off / throw the ball
In the event of a blitz: The quarterback can run with the football but could also scramble to throw if still behind the line of scrimmage. The throw must originate from behind the line of scrimmage.
Due to limited space once the team on offense crosses the defenses 5 yard line rushing will no longer be allowed.
Offensive/Defensive Rule Changes *NEW*-2024
4-5 Rule
CFFL prides itself in good sportsmanship on/off the field in the event of Taunting/Unsportsmanlike conduct occurs
Taunting / Intentional Fouls
If Taunting is called the player will sit out the rest of that game if done in the 1st half. If the foul happens in the 2nd half the player will sit out the rest of that game and the 1st half of the next game. 2nd offense this would happen to the same player would be out the next FULL game and 3rd offense would be a CFFL Board discussion.
Offensive penalties:
Coaches in K-1 will be allowed to have a MAX of 2 coaches on the field during game play.
Coaches in 2-3 and 4-5 will be allowed to have a MAX of 1 coach on the field during game play.
Blocking is illegal and if noticed a first warning is issued and the second time and subsequent times blocking is noticed it is a dead play and loss of down back at the original line of scrimmage.
Blocking is defined as an any offensive player impeding the defensive attempt to pull a flag.
- No Flag guarding/stiff arming. Penalty is an automatic dead ball placed at the spot of the foul and loss of that down.
- No forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage. Penalty is dead ball placed at the spot of the foul.
- K-1 = No hand offs past the line of scrimmage. Same penalty as above.
- Jerseys must be tucked in to not cover the flags, one team warning and then loss of down and ball back at original line of scrimmage.
- QB cannot run the ball, he must hand off or pass.
Defensive penalties:
If a Referee rules a tackle\push is intentional the ball will either be advanced to the mid field line or the 5 yd line depending on what side of the field the foul occurs on. In addition to this the player and his coach will be given a warning about the tackle. If the intentional foul occurs again the player will be removed from that game and the coach will be asked to remedy the situation before his/her team plays again and the offending player is reinstated. We have always disallowed tackling but are trying to make the penalty finally match the infraction.
K-1 and 2-3 Division: There is no rushing of the quarterback until there is a handoff or pass is caught behind the line of scrimmage. If the line of scrimmage is crossed by defense offsides should be called, then it is a replay of down.
- There is a 8 second time limit on passing plays, once 8 seconds has elapsed the play is automatically dead with a loss of that down and the ball returns to the original line of scrimmage.
- Safeties: there are no points for safety’s, it would instead be a loss of down if the flag is pulled and play resumes at the goal line for the next down.
- Interceptions can be returned for a touchdown with extra point to follow. If it is not returned for a touchdown and the ball will be marked at either midfield or returned to the defensive end zone for turnover on downs and it would depend on the yardage gained by the defender who returned the interception.
-Defensive Offsides can occur if the defense comes across the line of scrimmage prior to hand-off or pass being caught behind the line of scrimmage and the play will be allowed to continue and the Offense will have a choice of the result of the play OR a 5 yard penalty and re-play of the down whatever is greater.
Email: [email protected]
Find us on Facebook: Crooks Flag Football League