CBAL FLAG FOOTBALL RULES 2023
AT THE SNAP:
5 of 8 offensive players must be on the line for all offensive plays. No less than 4 on the line for punts & kick offs. (5 yard penalty)
BACKFIELD:
At least one (1) yard behind the line of scrimmage. (5 yard penalty)
BALL:
An official sized football is to be used for all league games.
Football must be inflated t0 12.5 to 13.5 psi (pounds per square inch)
BALL CARRIER:
Shall not deliberately drive or run into a defensive player, nor straight arm, nor protect the flag. (12 yard penalty)
BLOCKING:
Blockers must be on their feet before and during contact and shall not dive at the legs of any defender. A legal block outside of the free blocking zone requires arms be at a 90 degree angle (no straight arm). The free blocking zone is the area 4 yards from each side of the ball, and 3 yards forward and backward from the line of scrimmage. Players are in the free blocking zone if any part of their body is in the zone at the snap. Players entering the zone after the snap are subject to all regular blocking rules (clipping, arm extension, etc.).
BLOCKING A FORWARD PASS:
A defensive player may attempt to block a forward pass if he does not make contact with the offensive player. (Ball must be completely out of the passer’s hand.)
CLOCK:
The rules pertaining to a regulation clock are: Clock stops at all dead balls until the ball is placed (to include incomplete passes, running out of bounds, touchdowns). Clock stops at any change of possession until the ball is snapped or kicked. The final 3 minutes of each half, a standard “stop clock” will be employed (unless the point spread is 24 points or more). Each team will have 3 time outs per half, 1 per overtime.
DEAD BALL:
The ball is dead when an opponent removes the ball carrier’s flag.
NOTE: In all cases where a play is in progress and a ball carrier loses a flag either accidentally, or inadvertently play shall continue with a single handed tag by the defense substituting for the pulling of the flag. If any player loses a flag, he is still eligible to catch a legal forward pass but cannot advance the ball, and the ball is dead where the ball is caught. If a player removes his flag on purpose this shall considered unsportsmanlike conduct and will be penalized in the same manner as flag guarding.
DECLARED SCRIMMAGE KICK/ DECLARED PUNTS:
There is no rushing the kicker when a team announces a declared kick to the referee before the ready-for-play. After announcements a team must kick. Both teams must keep 4 players on the line of scrimmage until the kick is made. An official must allow the defensive team to adjust accordingly before play begins.
EXCEPTION: When playing on a field with field goals, both coaches must confer with the referee to confirm use of field goals. When utilizing the field goals the follow applies: After a touchdown, if a field goal is declared, it must be from the 5 yard line and is worth 1 point. If a field goal is declared anywhere else on the field, it is worth 3 points.
DEFENSELESS PLAYER:
A defenseless player is any player not actively engaged in the current play (in pursuit of the ball carrier, attempting to make a downfield block, etc.) and at least 20 yards from the ball. Any defensive player situated between the ball carrier and defended end zone shall not be considered a defenseless player. The first offense of hitting a defenseless player will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty AND the immediate suspension of the offending player. This suspension will be in effect immediately and will continue through the next 8 quarters. A second offense will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty AND the immediate suspension of the offending player for the remainder of the football season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER:
Shall not hold or grasp the ball carrier when in the act of removing a flag (12 yard penalty). Shall not deliberately fall to the ground to impede the forward progress of any offensive player (12 yard penalty). Any deliberate tackle of the ball carrier will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty AND immediate expulsion from that contest. A deliberate tackle occurs when the defender makes no legitimate effort for the flag, bringing down the player by grasping the upper body or legs, or inflicting a body-to-body blow to make the stop.
DIRECT RUNS:
A direct run by the quarterback is allowed. The player that receives the ball from the center is considered the quarterback
ENCROACHMENT:
If either team crosses the neutral zone before the ball is put in play, the play is dead.
END ZONES:
Are 10 yards in width. Goal posts are on the end line.
EQUIPMENT:
Shoulder pads, arm pads, helmets and hip pads are not legal equipment.
FLAGS:
Belts must include two velcro attached flags. Flags must be at least 13 inches in length and be of contrasting color to the uniform shorts/pants.
FORWARD PASS:
All players are eligible receivers. A team may make multiple forward passes behind the neutral zone. No pass interference rule if pass stays in or behind the neutral zone.
INTENTIONAL GROUNDING: is a violation that occurs when the passer attempts to avoid sack by intentionally throwing into an area where there is no receiver. Exception: it is legal to "spike" the ball in order to conserve time (a spike must occur immediately after the quarterback receives the snap).
FUMBLE:
The ball is dead at the point of contact with the ground behind the line of scrimmage. Fumbles beyond the line of scrimmage, the ball is spotted at the point where the player loses possession.
A kick that touches a player of the receiving team and then touches the ground is dead at the spot of touching the ground and belongs to the receiving team at the spot of first touching.
GAME TIME:
A regulation game is of 40 minute duration, including 4 quarters of 10 minutes each. In the case of an overtime, each team will get 4 plays from the 20 yard line to score.
FLAG GUARDING:
Offensive players may not guard their flags against the defense with hand or ball.
Penalty: 12 yards and loss of down
HURDLING:
The ball carrier shall not jump to avoid the removal of the flag. However, the ball carrier may jump to avoid any players that have fallen to the ground. The quarterback may jump to make a pass.
ILLEGAL HIDEOUTS:
All players must break from huddle before each play. No more than 8 players can break from the huddle. If a team does not huddle, all players must be at least 5 yards from the sideline before the snap.
KICKOFFS:
Must be a place kick or a drop kick. Ball is kicked from the 30 yard line.
A muff on a kick return will be placed where the player loses possession.
LAST DEFENDER:
If the last defensive player, between the ball carrier and the goal line, commits a personal foul on the ball carrier, a touchdown shall be awarded.
LINE TO GAIN:
The line-to-gain in any series is the zone in advance of the ball. A new series is awarded a team when they legally advance to the next zone.
MERCY RULE:
24 point difference – starts a running clock.
Must come down to a 18 point difference to come back to regulation clock.
MOTION:
Only 1 player can be in motion during a play not going forward.
MUFF:
An unsuccessful attempt to catch or recover the ball. Ball becomes dead when it touches the ground after a muff.
ON SIDE KICKS: (Modified for Flag Football
After a touchdown the scoring team will have an opportunity to get the ball back. They will need to successfully convert a fourth-and-20 attempt from their own 20 yard line. This will be a one-down attempt where the line to achieve is their own 40 yard line. This may be attempted by the scoring team following any touchdown regardless of the score of the game. There is also no limit as to the number of times this conversion may be attempted during the game.
RECEIVING:
A legal catch is any time the receiving player has 1 foot in bounds.
RETURNS:
Kick return and punt return teams must have four players on the front line. An interlocked wedge of more than two players is not allowed. It is an illegal procedure penalty.
SIDELINE POSITIONING:
All players and coaches must stay between 20 & 20. All players must stay 5 yards off the sideline.
SPINNING:
Spinning by a ball carrier is allowed.
STANCE:
All players of both teams, except the snapper, may use any stance.
TEAMS:
The game is played between two teams of eight players per team.
TOUCHBACK:
A touchback occurs when the ball enters the end zone after a kick or punt or is downed after an interception. The ball is to be placed at the 20 yard line. An intercepted pass in the defensive team’s end zone may be run out of the end zone or downed in the end zone. On a kick off, when the ball goes out of bounds between the 30 yard line and the goal line, the receiving team may take the ball at the 30 yard line or impose a 5 yard illegal procedure penalty on the kicking team (re-kick). When the ball goes out forward of the 30 yard line, the ball shall be placed where the ball went out.
TUCKING OR ILLEGAL ARRANGEMENT OF FLAGS:
Ball carrier’s flags must hang freely, one on each side of his belt.
UNTUCKED SHIRT:
A ball carrier may not deliberately untuck his shirt to cover his flag.
ZONES:
A zone is 20 yards long. Four or five zones constitute the playing area plus 10 yard end zones. The field width shall be 40 yards for a four zone field, up to 50 yards for a five zone field.
