Rumble at the River Rules and Policies
GENERAL RULES
· Soft shell helmets are encouraged. Mouthpieces are encouraged.
· We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to fighting. Any punches or kicks will be an automatic ejection from the game and tournament.
· No double passes.
· Every team is guaranteed 5 games: 4 in pool play and 1 in elimination rounds.
· All games are 25 minutes in length with a running clock.
· Ball starts on the 40-yard line. Offense has 3 plays to get to the 25-yard line. From there 3 plays to get to the 10-yard line. And from there 4 plays to score.
· QB has 4 seconds to get the ball out of his hand. If any part of the ball is still contacting QBs hand when buzzer goes off, it is a sack.
- A Sack results in a loss of down and a 5 yard loss. (Unless you are on the 40yd line, then just loss of down)
· Can use a player as a center and does not count toward the 7. That player is ineligible.
· All passes must be thrown past the LOS unless they are thrown outside the tackle-to-tackle box.
· In elimination games the clock stops on all change of possession and 2-point conversion attempts with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game (unless the game is
not within 14 points). The clock will start on next offensive snap and continue running until the game is over unless a timeout is called or there is a defensive penalty
which would result in 1 untimed down.
· A game cannot end on a defensive penalty. If it does occur it will be enforced against the defense and then there will be an untimed down to end the game.
· A game can end on an offensive penalty because the clock stays running.
· Varsity players can consist of all grade levels. JV teams should not have Seniors. For exceptions talk to Coach Rosenbach
FUMBLES
· If a ball carrier fumbles the whistle is immediately blown and play called dead. The ball is spotted where the fumble occurred for the next play.
· No one can recover a fumble
· If a QB drops the snap and picks it up before it crosses the LOS, the ball is still live until the 4 second clock beeps
· If a QB drops the snap and it crosses the LOS, the ball is dead and play over
· If a QB passes the LOS scrimmage before throwing, it is a dead ball and play over
BLOCKING
· As a safety measure the offense is not permitted to block
· 1st offense results in the play being called dead and ball spotted where the ball carrier was when the block occurred
· 2nd offense will result in the ball going back to the LOS and a loss of down
· If the 2nd offense occurs on 3rd down, it will result in a turnover on downs
STARTING GAMES
· Teams have 5 minutes from completion of previous game to start of new game
· Captains will be called immediately following previous game
· Pool Play: Captains will do Rock-Paper-Scissors to determine who gets ball
· Elimination: Highest seed gets ball first
· Overtime: Captains will do Rock-Paper-Scissors to determine who gets ball
· Teams must be set up on opposite sidelines before the game can start
COACHES
· Defensive coaches are not allowed to be on the field. They can be on the sideline or behind the back of the endzone
· An offensive coach can be in the huddle and on the field with the offense
· Only 1 coach for the offense is allowed on the field
· The offensive coach on the field is allowed to audible and talk to his kids at the LOS
· An offense must wait until the offense of the opponent gets a first down past the 25 yard line before they can walk out onto the field
TIMEOUTS
· No timeouts in pool play games
· Each team receives 1 timeout in elimination round games in the final two minutes of the game
· No timeouts in overtime, it must be used in regulation
· Timeouts are 30 seconds in length and the clock starts on the next offensive snap
BLITZ
· There are no blitzes allowed
RUN
· Each team is allowed 1 run per game. The ball must be handed off to someone other than the QB for it to be a legal run.
· Runs are not allowed in overtime games, it must be used during regulation
FORMATION
· We do not enforce numbers on the LOS or players being covered up in alignments. Officials can help players as a teaching tool for the regular season.
· Offense cannot load 5 players to one side
MOTIONS
· Illegal motion is an automatic loss of down
· If committed on 3rd down it results in a turnover on downs
· Offensive players can move and reset
· A player in motion can go sideways or backwards
· If a player in motion angles, leans, or starts moving forward it is a penalty
CELEBRATIONS
· There is no launching, throwing, or kicking the ball in celebration of an interception by the defense. This will be a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and result in that teams offense losing their first down on the upcoming offensive possession (they will start on 2nd
down at the 40 yard line)
· A penalty will be called if an offensive player throws the ball at an opponent after scoring a TD. A flag will also be thrown for any cussing at opposing team’s players, coaches, or parents. These penalties will result in the opposing offense starting on the 30-yard line
with a 1st and 5.
TAUNTING
· After a 1st warning, player can have a flag thrown for taunting and it is enforced as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
· After a 1st warning, a coach can have a flag thrown for taunting and it is enforced as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
· After a 1st warning, a parent can have a flag thrown for taunting and it is enforced as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
· A 2nd flag for the same thing results in a penalty plus an ejection
INJURIES
· The game clock continues to run in pool play for an injury
· The game clock stops for an injury in elimination rounds. It starts back up on the next offensive snap
FALSE STARTS
· False start penalties result in a loss of down
· False start on a 3rd down results in a turnover on downs
PASS INTERFERENCE
· Offensive pass interference is a loss of 10 yards and a replay of the down
· If offensive pass interference occurs from the 40-yard line it is a loss of down
· If offensive pass interference occurs from the 40-yard line and it is 3rd down, the result is a turnover on downs
· Defensive pass interference is an automatic 1st down at the spot of the foul
· Defensive pass interference occurring in the end zone results in an automatic 1st down and the ball being spotted at the 1-yard line
· If Defensive contact is made past 5 yards it will be considered a holding penalty. That results in 5 yards from the LOS and an automatic first down
· If contact is made past 5 yards and the ball is thrown to that specific receiver, it will be called a pass interference. That results in a spot foul and an automatic first down
· 1st offense of an offensive pass interference on a 2-point conversion results in the ball being moved back 5 yards to the 15-yard line and the down being replayed. If a 2nd offense occurs, the 2-point PAT is no good.
· 1st offense of a defensive pass interference on a 2-point conversion results in the ball being moved to the 5-yard line and the down being replayed. If a 2nd offense occurs, the offense is automatically awarded the 2-point conversion
DELAY OF GAME
· Offense has 35 seconds from the end of the previous play to snap the next play
· The back ref in the secondary will keep this clock every play. With 10 seconds left, they will raise their arm and count down to 0 before blowing the whistle and throwing a flag
· A delay of game results in a loss of down
· Delay of game on 3rd down results in a turnover on downs
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
· If called against the offense it is a 10-yard penalty and a replay of the down
· If called against the defense it is a 10-yard penalty and a replay of the down (inside 10-yard line ball is placed half the distance to the goal line).
· If any player receives a 2nd unsportsmanlike conduct in the same game, he will be ejected for the remainder of the game
· All coaches will be given a verbal warning by the ref/field supervisor before having a penalty called. After that, a 1st offense results in a penalty against their team. A 2nd offense results in a penalty plus that coach being ejected for the game
OFFSIDES / 8-MEN ON THE FIELD
· 8-Men on offense is play blown dead and a loss of down
· 8-Men on defense is a 5-yard penalty and replay down or offense can decline
· Offensive offsides is a loss of down
· Defensive offsides is a 5-yard penalty or offense can decline
SCORING
· TDs are 6 points
· The offense can take the automatic 1-point or go for a 2-point conversion from the 10-yard line
· Offenses can choose where they want the ball spotted for a 2-point conversion attempt
· INTs are 4 points
· No returns on INTs
· Defensive Stops are 2 points
HUDDLE
· Offense can have up to 8 players in the backfield
· Offense must break the huddle with 6 players or less or else it is a penalty
· Offensive subs in the backfield must be 10 yards behind LOS and need to take a knee
· If offense breaks the huddle and then substitutes, the defense gets 5 seconds to match
· If offense breaks the huddle with more than 6 players, it is a loss of down penalty. If this occurs on 3rd down it is a turnover on downs
OVERTIME
· All tied scores at the end of regulation go to overtime
· Captains will be called to do Rock-Paper-Scissors for ball
· Winner chooses offense or defense. Whatever they choose and announce is final, no changes
· Each team gets exactly 1 offensive play from the 40-yard line
· Longest yardage wins
· Any INT is an automatic game winner
· If another overtime is required the team on defense first now goes to offense first
· Repeat this process each round of offense and defense until there is a winner after a new rock/paper/scissors for ball
· No Blitz, Handoff, or Timeout in overtime
· There is no game clock in overtime. There is still a 35 second play clock and 4 second QB timer
· Illegal motion or a false start by the offense results in a loss of down
· Offensive pass interference is an automatic loss of down
· A defensive holding is a 5 yard penalty and replay the down. For that yardage to count, the offense must gain at least 1 yard on the next play
· A defensive pass interference gets spotted where penalty occurred. For that yardage to count, the offense must gain at least 1 yard on the next play
· Offense can decline a defensive holding or pass interference call
GENERAL RULES
· Soft shell helmets are encouraged. Mouthpieces are encouraged.
· We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to fighting. Any punches or kicks will be an automatic ejection from the game and tournament.
· No double passes.
· Every team is guaranteed 5 games: 4 in pool play and 1 in elimination rounds.
· All games are 25 minutes in length with a running clock.
· Ball starts on the 40-yard line. Offense has 3 plays to get to the 25-yard line. From there 3 plays to get to the 10-yard line. And from there 4 plays to score.
· QB has 4 seconds to get the ball out of his hand. If any part of the ball is still contacting QBs hand when buzzer goes off, it is a sack.
- A Sack results in a loss of down and a 5 yard loss. (Unless you are on the 40yd line, then just loss of down)
· Can use a player as a center and does not count toward the 7. That player is ineligible.
· All passes must be thrown past the LOS unless they are thrown outside the tackle-to-tackle box.
· In elimination games the clock stops on all change of possession and 2-point conversion attempts with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game (unless the game is
not within 14 points). The clock will start on next offensive snap and continue running until the game is over unless a timeout is called or there is a defensive penalty
which would result in 1 untimed down.
· A game cannot end on a defensive penalty. If it does occur it will be enforced against the defense and then there will be an untimed down to end the game.
· A game can end on an offensive penalty because the clock stays running.
· Varsity players can consist of all grade levels. JV teams should not have Seniors. For exceptions talk to Coach Rosenbach
FUMBLES
· If a ball carrier fumbles the whistle is immediately blown and play called dead. The ball is spotted where the fumble occurred for the next play.
· No one can recover a fumble
· If a QB drops the snap and picks it up before it crosses the LOS, the ball is still live until the 4 second clock beeps
· If a QB drops the snap and it crosses the LOS, the ball is dead and play over
· If a QB passes the LOS scrimmage before throwing, it is a dead ball and play over
BLOCKING
· As a safety measure the offense is not permitted to block
· 1st offense results in the play being called dead and ball spotted where the ball carrier was when the block occurred
· 2nd offense will result in the ball going back to the LOS and a loss of down
· If the 2nd offense occurs on 3rd down, it will result in a turnover on downs
STARTING GAMES
· Teams have 5 minutes from completion of previous game to start of new game
· Captains will be called immediately following previous game
· Pool Play: Captains will do Rock-Paper-Scissors to determine who gets ball
· Elimination: Highest seed gets ball first
· Overtime: Captains will do Rock-Paper-Scissors to determine who gets ball
· Teams must be set up on opposite sidelines before the game can start
COACHES
· Defensive coaches are not allowed to be on the field. They can be on the sideline or behind the back of the endzone
· An offensive coach can be in the huddle and on the field with the offense
· Only 1 coach for the offense is allowed on the field
· The offensive coach on the field is allowed to audible and talk to his kids at the LOS
· An offense must wait until the offense of the opponent gets a first down past the 25 yard line before they can walk out onto the field
TIMEOUTS
· No timeouts in pool play games
· Each team receives 1 timeout in elimination round games in the final two minutes of the game
· No timeouts in overtime, it must be used in regulation
· Timeouts are 30 seconds in length and the clock starts on the next offensive snap
BLITZ
· There are no blitzes allowed
RUN
· Each team is allowed 1 run per game. The ball must be handed off to someone other than the QB for it to be a legal run.
· Runs are not allowed in overtime games, it must be used during regulation
FORMATION
· We do not enforce numbers on the LOS or players being covered up in alignments. Officials can help players as a teaching tool for the regular season.
· Offense cannot load 5 players to one side
MOTIONS
· Illegal motion is an automatic loss of down
· If committed on 3rd down it results in a turnover on downs
· Offensive players can move and reset
· A player in motion can go sideways or backwards
· If a player in motion angles, leans, or starts moving forward it is a penalty
CELEBRATIONS
· There is no launching, throwing, or kicking the ball in celebration of an interception by the defense. This will be a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and result in that teams offense losing their first down on the upcoming offensive possession (they will start on 2nd
down at the 40 yard line)
· A penalty will be called if an offensive player throws the ball at an opponent after scoring a TD. A flag will also be thrown for any cussing at opposing team’s players, coaches, or parents. These penalties will result in the opposing offense starting on the 30-yard line
with a 1st and 5.
TAUNTING
· After a 1st warning, player can have a flag thrown for taunting and it is enforced as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
· After a 1st warning, a coach can have a flag thrown for taunting and it is enforced as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
· After a 1st warning, a parent can have a flag thrown for taunting and it is enforced as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
· A 2nd flag for the same thing results in a penalty plus an ejection
INJURIES
· The game clock continues to run in pool play for an injury
· The game clock stops for an injury in elimination rounds. It starts back up on the next offensive snap
FALSE STARTS
· False start penalties result in a loss of down
· False start on a 3rd down results in a turnover on downs
PASS INTERFERENCE
· Offensive pass interference is a loss of 10 yards and a replay of the down
· If offensive pass interference occurs from the 40-yard line it is a loss of down
· If offensive pass interference occurs from the 40-yard line and it is 3rd down, the result is a turnover on downs
· Defensive pass interference is an automatic 1st down at the spot of the foul
· Defensive pass interference occurring in the end zone results in an automatic 1st down and the ball being spotted at the 1-yard line
· If Defensive contact is made past 5 yards it will be considered a holding penalty. That results in 5 yards from the LOS and an automatic first down
· If contact is made past 5 yards and the ball is thrown to that specific receiver, it will be called a pass interference. That results in a spot foul and an automatic first down
· 1st offense of an offensive pass interference on a 2-point conversion results in the ball being moved back 5 yards to the 15-yard line and the down being replayed. If a 2nd offense occurs, the 2-point PAT is no good.
· 1st offense of a defensive pass interference on a 2-point conversion results in the ball being moved to the 5-yard line and the down being replayed. If a 2nd offense occurs, the offense is automatically awarded the 2-point conversion
DELAY OF GAME
· Offense has 35 seconds from the end of the previous play to snap the next play
· The back ref in the secondary will keep this clock every play. With 10 seconds left, they will raise their arm and count down to 0 before blowing the whistle and throwing a flag
· A delay of game results in a loss of down
· Delay of game on 3rd down results in a turnover on downs
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
· If called against the offense it is a 10-yard penalty and a replay of the down
· If called against the defense it is a 10-yard penalty and a replay of the down (inside 10-yard line ball is placed half the distance to the goal line).
· If any player receives a 2nd unsportsmanlike conduct in the same game, he will be ejected for the remainder of the game
· All coaches will be given a verbal warning by the ref/field supervisor before having a penalty called. After that, a 1st offense results in a penalty against their team. A 2nd offense results in a penalty plus that coach being ejected for the game
OFFSIDES / 8-MEN ON THE FIELD
· 8-Men on offense is play blown dead and a loss of down
· 8-Men on defense is a 5-yard penalty and replay down or offense can decline
· Offensive offsides is a loss of down
· Defensive offsides is a 5-yard penalty or offense can decline
SCORING
· TDs are 6 points
· The offense can take the automatic 1-point or go for a 2-point conversion from the 10-yard line
· Offenses can choose where they want the ball spotted for a 2-point conversion attempt
· INTs are 4 points
· No returns on INTs
· Defensive Stops are 2 points
HUDDLE
· Offense can have up to 8 players in the backfield
· Offense must break the huddle with 6 players or less or else it is a penalty
· Offensive subs in the backfield must be 10 yards behind LOS and need to take a knee
· If offense breaks the huddle and then substitutes, the defense gets 5 seconds to match
· If offense breaks the huddle with more than 6 players, it is a loss of down penalty. If this occurs on 3rd down it is a turnover on downs
OVERTIME
· All tied scores at the end of regulation go to overtime
· Captains will be called to do Rock-Paper-Scissors for ball
· Winner chooses offense or defense. Whatever they choose and announce is final, no changes
· Each team gets exactly 1 offensive play from the 40-yard line
· Longest yardage wins
· Any INT is an automatic game winner
· If another overtime is required the team on defense first now goes to offense first
· Repeat this process each round of offense and defense until there is a winner after a new rock/paper/scissors for ball
· No Blitz, Handoff, or Timeout in overtime
· There is no game clock in overtime. There is still a 35 second play clock and 4 second QB timer
· Illegal motion or a false start by the offense results in a loss of down
· Offensive pass interference is an automatic loss of down
· A defensive holding is a 5 yard penalty and replay the down. For that yardage to count, the offense must gain at least 1 yard on the next play
· A defensive pass interference gets spotted where penalty occurred. For that yardage to count, the offense must gain at least 1 yard on the next play
· Offense can decline a defensive holding or pass interference call
