Rules for Southern Showdown 7v7 Tournament

1.     FIELD LENGTH: 50 total yards—40 yards with a 10 yard end zone.

2.     STARTING EACH GAME:

•     Each pool play game has 22 minute running clock (If clock runs out on scoring play, there will be untimed extra point attempt)
•     Teams will do Rock, Paper, Scissors for ball (Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot is cadence)

•     In bracket play games are 20 minutes, it is a 19 minute running clock until the final minute. The final minute will be played with a stopped clock (Clock stops on 1st down until set, clock stops on incomplete passes, clock stops on out of bounds, etc.)
**Sacks result in clock stopping**
***All completions must be past the line of scrimmage or it will result in clock stopping***
****Higher seed gets choice on whether to start on offense of defense****

•     Overtime is ONLY in bracket play

o     Each team will have 3 plays to score from the 10 yard line
o     Starting with 3rd OT, each team has to go for 2 from the 10 yard line
o     Rock, Paper, Scissors for ball (Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot is cadence)

•     Each team has 1 timeout in bracket play games. No timeouts in pool play.

•     If a team is late to a game, the team that is on time will be awarded 8 points and the game will start once the late team arrives (3 minute grace period before team is awarded points). Late team will start game on defense. After 10 mins it is a forfeit.

•     Forfeited games will be scored 8-0

•     All game clocks will start with air horn. It is up to each team to be ready to play at the scheduled time.

•     Air Horn will blow 3 times 3 minutes prior to game time and air horn will blow once when game clock starts and twice when game clock ends.







3.     OFFENSE:

•     Offense always starts on 40 yard line after any change of Possession.
•     Offense has 3 downs to gain a first down. First down markers will be at the +25 and +10 yard lines. Once inside the +10, the offense has 3 downs to score a TD.
•     For the conversion after a touchdown, the offense can choose to go for 1 or 2 points. 1 point conversion is from the +3 yard line a 2 point conversion is from the +10 yard line. The offense may choose hash for ball placement.
•     QB gets 4.0 seconds to throw the ball (anything over 4.0 secs is considered a sack)
•     25 second play clock
•     Offensive players responsible for retrieving ball
•     Passer can’t advance the ball
•     No handoffs
•     No laterals
•     All passes must be past the line of scrimmage, any pass behind the line of scrimmage will result in a dead ball (treated as sack)
•     No blocking
•     Receivers must line up outside the tackle box
•     All offensive formations must be legal formations (must be 1 WR on the ball on both sides of ball)
•     Fumbles after completion of a pass are dead balls as soon as they hit the ground
•     Fumbles during snap can be picked up (THESE ARE NOT DEAD BALLS)




4.     SCORING
   
•     TD = 6 points
•     Conversion from 3 yard line = 1 point
•     Conversion from 10 yard line = 2 points
•     Defensive stop = 2 points
•     Interception = 3 points
          ** No points for interception during PAT
          **No returns on interceptions







5.     PENALTIES

•     Offense
o     False Start/Offsides = Loss of Down
o     Delay of Game = Loss of Down
o     Pass Interference = 5 yd penalty and loss of down
o     If player is blocking downfield the ball is blown dead
o     Unnecessary roughness = 10 yard penalty and loss of down


•     Defense
o     Offsides = 5 yard penalty
o     Defensive Holding = 5 yard penalty
o     Defensive Pass Interference = 10 yard penalty
o     Unnecessary Roughness = 10 yard penalty & automatic 1st down
**Any dead ball penalty on defense on change of possession, then their offense will have a loss of down
***If defensive holding occurs on same play as sack, then sack is voided and defense will be penalized
****No defensive pass interference can occur on a sack


•     Team/Coaches
o     Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties = 10 yard penalty (loss of down if it is a change of possession and the upcoming offensive team gets penalty)

6.      Additional Rules

•     Player is ruled down when touched below the neck with one or two hands
•     Teams can’t leave sideline and enter field to celebrate, if anyone does it will result in unsportsmanlike penalty
•     No taunting
•     No fighting
o     Disqualification for the rest of day (eligible to return 2nd day)
o     If a team has more than one separate incident they are disqualified from tournament (team not organization)

7.     Tiebreaker Rules

•     If two teams are tied at the end of pool play, the tiebreaker is head to head records
•     If 3 or more teams are tied, the following will be used to for tiebreaker (in order):
o     Head to head records
o     Points allowed
o     Point differential
o     Coin flip

8.     Coaches

•     Each team has a maximum of 4 coaches per team
•     Only one offensive coach allowed on the field and in the huddle.
•     Defensive coaches are not allowed on the field at any time

9.     Rosters

•     Each team has a maximum of 24 players
•     If a program has more than one team, a player can’t play on more than one team under any circumstance
•     Age requirements
o     18U – 2021 players are allowed. No player can be 19 at the start of the tournament
o     15U – No player can be 16 at the start of the tournament
o     14U – No player can be 15 at the start of the tournament
o     12U – No player can be 13 at the start of the tournament
o     10U – No player can be 11 at the start of the tournament