All players are eligible to catch a pass or take a handoff.

A Receiver must have at least one foot in bounds and control of the ball. 

An offensive player cannot run out-of-bounds (on their own) and return in-bounds to catch a pass. This will be ruled an incomplete pass. 

If an offensive and a defensive player catch a pass simultaneously, the ball is awarded to the offense.

If the player takes possession of the ball but does not have a flag belt on, the ball is declared dead where they took possession.

QBs under center are NOT allowed to snap the ball and run up the the Center/Guard "A" gaps, but may run into any other gap. (Safety)

QBs in "shotgun" formation, 2-yards back at the snap of the ball, may run into ANY gap.

Center Sneaks are NOT allowed as it is too hard for the Referees to determine if there was a full exchange of the ball.

SNAPPING the ball can be done either the TRADITIONAL way through the Center’s legs or PITCH style where the Center stands sideways and tosses the ball to the QB.

A Center without flags is allowed to snap the ball. 

If a Center without flags goes through the motion of snapping the ball but holds on to it waiting for someone to take it (e.g., a player coming from a Wing position) and is touched by the defense, the ball is declared DEAD at that spot.

The ball must be snapped from the ground. 

The offense may have NO MORE than four players in the backfield.

The offense MUST have at least one player on each side of the center creating a Center/Guard "A" gap to assist in lining up the defense. 

The "A" gap CANNOT be wider than one (1) foot. 

Violation of either of these will be penalized an Illegal Formation (5).

Shifting and Motion are handled as they are in tackle.

The ball carrier cannot use their arms or hands to protect their flags from being pulled, and they cannot stiff-arm. Violation will be penalized as Flag Guarding (5).

The ball carrier cannot lower their shoulder and contact the defender or run into a defender who has established their position. Violation will be penalized as Charging (10).

The ball carrier cannot dive to get a first down or score. Violation will be penalized as Diving (10).

DROP - When a player had possession and then lost possession.

• If the QB is in "shotgun" and drops the ball, the play is blown DEAD at the spot.

MUFF - When a player touches a ball while trying to gain possession but fails.

• If the QB is under center and muffs the ball, the play is blown DEAD at the spot. Safety

• If the QB is in "shotgun" and muffs the ball, any of the offensive backfield may pick it up and continue the play.

There are NO FUMBLES in Flag. The defense may NEVER recover a ball that is dropped and hits the ground. A backward pass that is not caught is declared dead at the spot.

If an offensive player loses possession of the ball and it is caught by a defensive player mid-air (prior to hitting the ground), it is considered an interception and may be advanced.

Stripping the ball out of a players possession is not allowed. Refer to 3.7F - Stripping.

Stripping is an attempt to punch, chop, reach-and-pull, rip, club or swipe at the ball.

If the ball carrier establishes possession of the football, the opponent must attempt to pull their flags and not attempt to strip the ball. 

If the QB extends the ball out as to "hand it off", a defender may not take the ball. This is stripping. 

Violation of either of these will be penalized with a Personal Foul (15). 

A defensive player must go for a passer’s flags, not the passer’s arm to block a pass. Any violation will be "roughing the passer" penalized as a Personal Foul (15).

Tackling is prohibited and penalized as a Personal Foul (15).

The ball carrier is considered down when they take a knee, fall to the ground, their flags come off either by the defender or inadvertently. 

The defender cannot push or pull the ball carrier out of bounds or hold them to try and pull their flags. Violation will be penalized with a Personal Foul (15).

An accidental touch of the body while reaching for the flags will not be considered a penalty; however, touching of the head area will be penalized a Personal Foul (15).

A player may not dive to get a flag, or they will be penalized by an Diving (5).

Players are prohibited from pulling off the flags of players who are not the ball carrier, or they will be penalized by an Illegal Procedure (5).

No player has the right to over-aggressively ‘body up’, ‘wrap up’, ‘play through’, ‘bull rush’, charge, spear or lead with a shoulder against an opponent even to pull a flag. Players must play to pull the flag, not to commit a Personal Foul. 

If a defensive player physically contains, tackles, or attempts to tackle the ball carrier (e.g., bear hugs, holds, wrestles with, obstructs, pushes the ball carrier out-of-bounds, etc.) without making a clear, legal attempt to pull the ball carrier’s flag. 

Pushing out of bounds is not permitted unless the defense was making a fair, legal, and reasonable attempt to pull the ball carrier’s flags, i.e. the defender’s hands were aimed low at the ball carrier’s hips and flags and not high up on the body. 

A defensive player may not pull the flag of a player who is not in possession of the ball. Illegal Procedure (5)

Players may be penalized for Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15) for throwing, obscuring, or delaying the ball carrier in recovering their pulled flag. 

Any violations above will be penalized as a Personal Foul (15) except where noted.

The ball carrier is considered down when they take a knee, fall to the ground, their flags come off either by the defender or inadvertently. 

An accidental touch of the body while reaching for the flags will not be considered a penalty; however, touching of the head area will be penalized a Personal Foul (15).

A player may not dive to get a flag, or they will be penalized Diving (5).

Any number of defenders may rush into the offensive backfield from anywhere on the field (including the Center/Guard "A" gap). 

A defensive player may not run over, push, hold or pull a blocker or they will be penalized for a Personal Foul (15).

A defensive player will be restricted in the use of their hands to the blocker’s chest, shoulders, and arms. Hands to the head area will be penalized as a Personal Foul (15). 

The defense is limited to a maximum of 5 players in the "BOX" (tackle to tackle) prior to the snap of the ball.

The defense cannot be lined up directly over Center. They must be 2 full yards (6 feet) away prior to the snap of the ball.

The defense cannot be lined up in the Center/Guard "A" gap prior to the snap of the ball. Defensive Tackles may crash the "A" gap at the snap of the ball.

Defensive players outside the "BOX" may be lined up on the LOS (e.g., covering the TE or WR).

Defensive players may walk up or drop out of the "BOX" at any time as long as they do not violate the 5-player limit, do not violate the over center rule, or violate the in the A-Gap rule prior to the snap.

Teams violating these rules will be penalized by an Illegal Formation (5).

A field has 4 Zone Lines (every 20 yards | 20, 40, 40 and 20).

Teams have four consecutive downs from the point on the field they take possession to advance over the next Zone Line or to score. 

A team that touches or passes the next Zone Line, is awarded a 1st Down. The forward part of the ball will be the determining factor in determining a first down. 

Referees will place the ball on a hash mark providing a short and a wide side of the field as in tackle.

A team cannot gain a first down by crossing a Zone Line they were pushed back over by penalty or any other reason.

The offense starts the game at their 20-yard line (unless adjusted by penalty).

Interference penalty (against Defense – 5 yards + automatic first down) / (against Offense – 5 yards + loss of down)

Two (2) coaches from each team are permitted on the field.

Coaches:

• • Are to instruct their players in the huddle; place them; and may continue to instruct them until the ball is snapped. 

  • Are to back off once the QB starts their cadence, so that they are 5 feet behind the Referee and there are no players behind, left or right of them at the snap of the ball.

  • May not physically assist players once the play starts. 

  • Violation of any of the above, the coach will be charged with Interference.

The 7u coaches on the field may have water bottles but they must be in their pockets or backpack and not on the field of play. If during a play a bottle is found on the field, team will be penalized for Illegal Equipment (5).

If an opposing player trips on a bottle, the Referees will penalize the team as Interference instead. If in the Referees opinion the ball carrier had a clear path to score, they will award "Last Man." Click to read Last Man

If a Referee trips on a bottle, the offending team will be penalized Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15).

Coaches on the field may wear GoPro type cameras but cannot use anything else to take pictures or videos. Violation will be penalized as an Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15).

If in the process of trying to pull flags a player grabs jersey:

• • That was not tucked in and covered the flags, there is no penalty unless they do not let go.

  • That was tucked in, they will be penalized Holding (10).

If the offense loses possession of the ball into or out of their opponent's endzone, the ball will be placed on the defenses’ 20-yard line, 1st and Zone to Go. The defense now becomes offense.