2025 Tryouts

Football (Flag) Camp  -  January 5 to March 30, 2025

 [Event is Over]
Flag Rules:

Article 1. Eligibility to Handle the Ball
     •     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.

Article 2. QB/Center Sneaks
     •     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.
     •     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 Refs to determine if there was a full exchange of the ball.

Article 3. Snapping 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. [clarification]

Article 4. Unfair Tactics
     •     Actions or verbiage designed to confuse the defense into believing there is a problem, and a snap IS NOT imminent (e.g., “wrong ball play”), or planned loose ball plays, are beyond the scope of sportsmanship and are ILLEGAL.  
     •     Any team caught doing anything within the description of this article will have their head coach penalized with an Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15).

Article 5. Offensive Formations & Movement
     •     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.

Article 6. Ball Carrier
     •     They 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).
     •     They 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).
     •     They cannot dive to get a first down or score. Violation will be penalized as Diving (10).

Article 7. Fumbles, Interceptions, Muffs & Bad Snaps
     •     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. [clarification]
     •     Stripping is not allowed. Refer to Article 8. Stripping.
     •     If the QB is under center and drops (muffs) the ball, the play is blown DEAD at the spot.
     •     If the QB is in "shotgun" and drops (muffs) the ball, any of the offensive backfield may pick it up and continue the play.

Article 8. Stripping & Pass Interference
     •     If the ball carrier establishes possession of the football, the opponent must attempt to pull their flags and not attempt to grab or punch the ball out of the ball carrier’s hands. Violation will be penalized with a Personal Foul (15).
     •     During a down in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone, illegal contact by players is prohibited from either team from the time the ball is snapped until it is touched by any player.
 
Article 9. Flagging
     •     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 Illegal Procedure (5).
     •     Players are prohibited from pulling off the flags of players who are not the ball carrier for whatever reason, or they will be penalized by an Illegal Procedure (5).
  
Article 10. Rushing (Defense)
     •     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). 
  
Article 11. Defensive Formations
     •     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. Defenders may rush 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).
  
Article 12. Downs & Lines to Gain
     •     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. 
     •     Refs 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).

Article 13. Coaches on the Field
Interference penalty (against Defense – 5 yards + automatic first down) / (against Offense – 5 yards + loss of down)
     •     Two (2) coaches from each team is 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 Ref 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 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 Refs will penalize the team as Interference instead. If in the Refs opinion the ball carrier had a clear path to score, they will award "Last Man."
     •     If a Ref 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).

Article 14. Flag Belts
     •     Amount of Flag Belts Required: A team may play a game with only one legal flag belt on their  QB. Any other player will be considered down (immediately) where they take possession of the ball.  
     •     Allowable Flag Belt: The only allowable flag belt (refer to Rule 7) is the Triple-Threat that has three sewn on flags.
     •     A flag must be over the left and right hip, and one behind the back. Wearing it any other way will be penalized as Illegal Equipment (5). 
     •     If the Refs find flag belts are being worn that do not have three flags, that violates this requirement and penalized as Illegal Equipment (5). 
     •     Issues as to color, size and material of flags must be challenged by the teams using the challenge rules.
     •     Hard to Pull Flag Belts: If the Refs see a defender dragged, they will inspect the ball carrier for a tied belt, a metal clasp or some type of modification that prevents the flag from coming off. If the Refs find any flag belt tied or modified, the Refs will declare the game a forfeit. The offending head coach and possibly the organization, will incur additional disciplinary action from Compliance.

Article 15. Defensive Holding
     •     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).

Article 16. Touchback
If the offense loses possession of the ball into or out of their opponents endzone, the ball will be placed on the defenses’ 20-yard line, 1st and Zone to Go. The defense now becomes offense
© 2013 - 2025 App-Order, LLC All Rights Reserved