League Rules

PLAY:

Play is limited to seven on seven. Failure to comply will result in the offense having the choice of accepting the result of the play, or taking the down over.

Coaches are allowed in the huddle, but must stay out of the defensive secondary when the ball is snapped. Defensive coaches must also stay directly out of the offensive backfield, and should be at or outside the hashes. 

Any offensive player not in the play must be back at least 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Any defensive player not in a play must stand on the sideline.

Included in the offense’s seven must be a center (a qb tee is considered as the center, and all snaps must start from the qb tee either through a direct pull from the QB, or another player tossing it to the QB in a shotgun formation). Once the ball is lifted off the play clock begins.

Offense must be lined up in a legal formation. Everyone is eligible to receive passes, except the center.

Teams can run one time each series, but the runner must run between the imaginary tackle box until past the line of scrimmage. Runs are not permitted from the 10-yard line and in.

NO empty sets at the youth level (High school can run empty sets)

Backs must release from the offensive tackle position on out.  No releasing over the path of the interior lineman.

No fumbles, or stripping. The ball is dead if it touches the ground and the offense retains possession. There are no laterals.

Play ends with one hand touch below the neck.

Regular substitution rules apply. There is no mandatory playing time.

The QB has to release the ball before the sack clock expires, or it is blown dead and a 5 yard sack is incurred.
HS Time – 3.5
5th-8th Grade – 3.7
3rd-4th Grade – 4.0

There is no rushing the QB.

No double passes, RB passes, or laterals.

No shovel passes. Passes between the tackle box must be caught in front of the line of scrimmage, from an overhand motion. Swing passes behind the line of scrimmage are allowed.

Only one first down per series is possible, achieved when reaching the 20-yard line within 3 downs. Once a team is inside the 20 yard line they have 4 downs to score.

The game cannot end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it.

 

SCORING:

Touchdown scores 6 points (1 extra point automatically awarded if taken)

Regulation PAT: 2 extra points by passing from the 7 yard line

 

PENALTIES:

All penalties will be enforced. Emphasis is placed on pass interference, holding, unnecessary roughness, and unsportsmanlike conduct.

No blocking, or screening of opponents.

Only one bump is allowed within 5 yards of the LOS, and all bump and run must be executed with hands.  No forearms or shoulders allowed.  Safety is of utmost importance during the contest.

This is a minimal-contact game and any flagrant contact is cause for immediate ejection. As always any unsportsmanlike conduct is also cause for ejection. The referees’ decision is final on all plays, there will be no tolerance for arguing, and only a coach may ask for a rule clarification. Coaches control profanity, and are expected to eliminate profanity on their team.

Offensive Penalties:

All offensive penalties result in a loss of down.

– Unsportsmanlike Conduct: 15 yard penalty, and possible ejection

Defensive penalties:

Holding/Illegal Bump: 5 yard penalty, down over

Offsides: 5 yards penalty

Pass Interference: 10 yard penalty, down over

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: 15 yard penalty, and replay the down (possible ejection)

• Two Unsportsmanlike penalties in a game will result in an automatic ejection
• If a team incurs a 3^rdunsportsmanlike conduct penalty the game will be forfeited by that team
• As in high school rules, any player not on the field who leaves the sideline to enter a scuffle or fight, even if punches are not thrown, is automatically ejected
• Excessive celebration penalties will be enforced under CIF rules

Any ejected player will be required to sit out the next game.

BLOOD RULE: If and when an official observes that a player is bleeding, has an open wound, or has an excessive amount of blood on his or her uniform, the player will be directed to leave the game. The injured player is not to return until the bleeding has stopped, the open wound is covered, and excessively bloody uniform is changed.

PROTEST: Protest must be made verbally with the tournament Official by the offended team at the time of play. No judgment calls can be protested, only misinterpretation of the rules.

PLAYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY FOR MULTIPLE TEAMS IN THE SAME GRADE LEVEL DURING THE DAY. THEY CAN PLAY WITH ONE TEAM, AND ONCE THEY PLAY A DOWN FOR THAT TEAM THEY ARE INELIGIBLE FOR ANOTHER TEAM.

Coach Reminders

1. Make sure you maintain control over your team’s parents. Be proactive and take care of the problem before it escalates.
2. Officials call the penalties and run the clock…not teams or coaches.
3. Please pick up trash at the end of your game.

PLAYOFF SPECIFIC RULES – CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

These rules are for the championship tournament, and supersede any other rules listed below this section.

TIME:
– Pool Play – games will be 30 minutes in length with a running clock (those brackets with 5 teams will play four 25 minute games)
– Semis and Championship Games – 30 minutes long with a running clock

– There are no time-outs. (In case of injury the clock will stop at the discretion of the referee. Any stoppage by the referee will require the injured player to leave the field for a single play).

– If the team who is ahead, commits a penalty in the last 2 minutes of a game the clock will stop, and not start until the following snap.

POSSESSION OF THE BALL:
– POOL PLAY – Possession is determined by coin flip
– CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS – Opening possession will be determined by higher seed from morning pool play. If similar seed there will be a coin flip.

OVERTIME (Elimination Games Only):
– A tiebreaker will occur, with a flip of a coin to determine possession.
– Overtime is one series of 3 plays from the 10 yard line for each team. If a team scores they may elect to go for 1 point from the 5 yard line, or 2 points from the 10 yard line. If still tied after the first series for each team OT will consist of a single conversion attempt from either the 5 yard line (1 point) or the 10 yard line (2 points).

REMINDERS

• Any team using an ineligible player will have that player removed from the tourney, and the team can be ruled ineligible from the tournament.
• A player will be ejected for two unsportsmanlike penalties in a game, and three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a game by the same team will result in a forfeit.
• CIF rules are in effect for fighting…any player leaving the sideline to enter into a fight whether they throw a punch or not will be ejected for that game. Any player involved in a fight, or if one player is viewed as a clear instigator they will be ejected from the tournament. After all ejections are determined if a team falls below the minimum threshold of 5 players they will forfeit all remaining games.