5 on 5 Youth Rules

RULE 1. OVERVIEW
SECTION 1. THE FIELD
Article 1. Standard dimensions of the field are 60 yards long by 25 yards wide with 7 yard endzones. Approved field sizes may fluctuate from 53-64 yards long when necessary, or 23-30 yards wide. Endzones should not be shorter than 5 yards.

SECTION 2. THE GAME
Article 1.

Article 2. Minimum 4 players to start a game. May only have up to 5 players on the field at any one time.

Article 3. A coin toss determines 1st possession. The team can elect to have offense, defense, defer or direction. Choice in the 2nd half will be awarded to the team that did not have the choice 1st half or team listed first on the schedule or the app

Article 4. The offensive team takes possession of the ball at their 5-yard line and has four plays to cross mid-field. You may choose to “punt” on 4th down where you would forfeit the down and the opponent would start with the ball at their own 5 yard line. If you go for it on 4th down and do not get a first down or touchdown, the opponent would take over at the spot. Once a team crosses mid-field and achieves a first down they have 4 plays to score. If the offense does not score, the ball changes possession. All drives start from the 5-yard line with the exception of an interception.

Article 5. No blocking is allowed. No intentional contact is allowed.

Article 6. Mercy Rule: No Mercy Rule during pool play games.  During bracket play, if a team is up by 28 or more points at any time during the contest, the game will end. Mercy rule in League is 28 points in 2nd half

SECTION 3. EQUIPMENT
Article 1. Teams must have the same color shirts League and have an alternative color for Tourney Play (one dark color/one light color). They do not have to be official uniforms. If both teams are wearing the same color, there will be a coin toss, and the losing team will need to change into a different color. Failure to provide a secondary uniform or unwillingness to change will result in a forfeit.

Article 2. Approved football sizes:

8U and below: Pee-wee, junior, and youth size ball allowed
9U-12U: Junior and youth size ball allowed
14U: Youth size ball (with option of using regulation high school sized ball)
Article 3. , Youth Shruumz, or Sonic Flag-a-Tag flags (if custom flags are worn they must be of equal dimensions as Sonic flags). Flags will not be allowed that have been altered (cut, taped, etc.). Mushroom Flags are not allowed for youth. The flags cannot be the same color as a player’s shorts. Mouth guards and Helmets are required as well as non pocketed shorts

SECTION 4. COACHES
Article 1. Coaches are volunteers whose role it is to help young people learn to play and enjoy football. Parents are encouraged to support their youth and their coach at all times.

Article 2. Coaches (1 Coach per Team) in the 8U and under divisions (only) are permitted on the field no close to assist players with their position alignment and mentoring on offense only (no coaches allowed on the field while on defense). At the snap, on-field coaches must be 5 yards behind the quarterback.

Article 3. Coaches of all other age divisions may not come on to the field of play during a game unless a player is injured. Coaches who come on the field of play anytime during a game will be penalized. One sideline warning per game will be issued after which the following penalties will result:

coach on the field during live action = unsportsmanlike conduct
coach on the field during a dead ball = delay of game
Article 4. Only three coaches per team are allowed on the sidelines. ONLY THE HEAD COACH CAN ADDRESS THE GAME OFFICIALS.

SECTION 4. GAME CLOCK FORMAT
Article 1. Tournament & League clock is 30 minutes long, . Two 15 minute halves and 1-minute halftime.

Article 2. Each team has two 30 second timeouts PER GAME. If a time out is called after a TD the clock will not run until the change of possession and the offense snaps their ball.

SECTION 5. FIRST HALF CLOCK
Article 1. The clock will run continuously during the 15 minutes of the first half unless a team timeout is used or play is stopped by an official (e.g. deal with an injury, challenge, referee conference, game management purposes, etc.)

Article 2. The head official will give a verbal two-minute warning (for rule specific changes inside 2 minutes)

Article 3. The clock will run during point-after-touchdown attempts (PATs) in the first half unless the defense opts to use a team timeout.

SECTION 6. SECOND HALF CLOCK
Article 1. In the second half the clock will run continuously for the first 14 minutes unless a team timeout or an official’s time out is used.

Article 2. The one-minute warning will stop the clock in the second half if the score difference is 8 points or less.

Article 3. The head official will give a verbal two-minute (for rule specific changes) and one-minute warning as close as possible to the actual marks but will not interrupt a live play.

Article 4. At the one minute warning officials will use a ‘PRO/Controlled’ clock mechanic for the remainder of the contest.

Article 5. The time remaining on the clock will be announced after every play inside the final two minutes of the contest.

RULE 2. OFFENSE
SECTION 1. RUNNING
Article 1. The quarterback may not run unless the ball has been thrown back, handed or pitched to him or her in the backfield.

Article 2. Teams may handoff unlimited times in the backfield. Divisions 13U and younger may not lateral or pitch at any time on the field. Divisions 14U and older may also execute unlimited laterals in the backfield and downfield. The player who receives the pitch or handoff may throw the ball as long as he or she is not fully beyond the line of scrimmage.

Article 3. Pitching (backwards/laterally) is allowed downfield (unlimited). Handoffs are allowed in front or behind. A handoff DOES NOT count as a lateral/throwback.

Article 4. A forward pass DOES NOT have to cross the LOS to be a legal play.

Article 5.

Article 6. No run zones are located  5-yards before the end zone.  You may not run the ball in the no run zone (5-yards before end zone), only forward passes are allowed.

Article 7. Ball is spotted where the ball is at the time of the flag pull. The ball must break the plane of the midfield or goal line to be considered a first down or touchdown.

Article 8. Players may NOT block down field in any form.

SECTION 2. PASSING
Article 1. The quarterback has 7 seconds to pass the ball if there is no rush. If the ball is not thrown, then the play is dead. After the ball is ruled dead it is returned to the line of scrimmage.

Article 2. Once the ball is handed off or pitched backwards the 7 second count stops. If the defensive team rushes, then there is no 7 second count.

Article 3. There is no arm in motion, if the ball is in hand when the quarterback’s flag is pulled then it will be ruled a sack.

Article 4. Interceptions may be returned.

Article 5. The rusher may not have any contact with the QB (no hitting the QB arm or knocking the ball out of the QB hand).

Article 6. If ANY part of the players body is behind the LOS it is a legal pass

SECTION 3. RECEIVING
Article 1. All players are eligible to receive a pass, including the quarterback, if the ball has been pitched or handed off in the backfield.

Article 2. Players must have at least one foot in bounds when making a catch.

RULE 3. DEFENSE
SECTION 1. RUSHING THE QUARTERBACK
Article 1. Rushing is ONLY allowed for 8U divisions and up and is NOT allowed for youth ages 7U and below.

Article 2. Players that blitz/rush the quarterback must be a minimum of 7 yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.

Article 3. The 7 yards will be measured off by a referee.

Article 4. Players that are not 7 yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped may not enter into the backfield until there is a change of possession.

Article 5. The blitzer/rusher is allowed a direct lane to the quarterback as long as he or she rushes from either side of the center or outside the bunch formation. The offense must avoid interfering with the rusher if he or she has established a lane. Officials will announce LANE or NO LANE for rushers/blitzers prior to the snap. This is a judgement call/decision based on the spacing between the players in the offensive formation.

Article 6. The rush of a blitzer has to be immediately after the snap, quick and straight towards the point where the quarterback receives the snap in order to retain the right of way. If a blitzer is rushing late, slowly, aiming at another spot, changing direction during the rush or just does not rush the quarterback, the player loses the right of way but still can participate as any other defensive player.

SECTION 2. PASS COVERAGE:
Article 1. Contacting receivers is not allowed

Article 2. Pass interference normally occurs above the waist; entangled feet are not considered pass interference. Incidental contact is not considered pass interference.

Article 3. A player may “find” their opponent by reaching out and placing a hand on them as long as touching does not delay, impede, twist, or turn their opponent.  This is not considered pass interference.

Article 4. A player may use their arms or hands to intentionally obstruct the receiver’s view (face guarding) of the ball without turning their own head to play the ball as long as noteworthy contact is not made with the receiver.

Article 5. If defensive pass interference occurs in the end zone the ball will be placed on the one-yard line, automatic first down.

Article 6. Interceptions may be returned. Interceptions in the end zone that are not returned to the field of play will result in a touchback and the ball will be spotted on the 5-yard line.

Article 7. Contact away from the direction of the pass is not considered pass interference but may be considered illegal contact.

Article 8. Whether a pass is catchable or uncatchable has no bearing on pass interference. The benefit of the doubt is given to the receiver. Examples of pass interference include:

Shoving or pushing off to create separation.
Playing through the back.
Hook and turn: grabbing the torso and turning an opponent before the pass arrives.
Arm bars, hooking, restricting, grabbing wrists, or turning a receiver.
Blocking downfield before the ball has been touched, commonly seen through “pick plays”.
RULE 4. SCORING
SECTION 1. POINTS
Touchdown     · 6 points
Point After Touchdown (PAT)     
· 1 point from the 5-yard line (no-run zone in effect)

· 2 points from the 10-yard line, run, pass (outside of no-run zone)

· Interceptions returned on PAT’s are worth 2 points

Safety     · 2 points
SECTION 2. POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN (PAT)
Article 1. Following a touchdown, once the scoring team has informed an official of which point conversion choice they want to attempt, the decision cannot be changed unless the scoring team uses a team timeout.

Article 2. If a penalty occurs during an extra point attempt, the penalty will be assessed but the extra point value remains the same.

Article 3. Decisions cannot be changed after a penalty. For example, if the offense attempts a 1-point PAT and is penalized five yards for a false start, they cannot change their mind and go for a 2-point PAT. They will still be attempting a 1-point try even if they call a timeout.

Article 4. Defensive unsportsmanlike conduct, personal fouls, or roughing penalties during a successful touchdown attempt will be assessed at half the distance to the goal during the PAT attempt (e.g., 2-point PAT attempts will be spotted at the 6-yard line, 1-point PAT attempts will be spotted at the 2.5-yard line). All other defensive penalties may be declined by the offense and the score will stand.

Article 5. Dead ball fouls committed by the offense that do not carry a loss-of-down penalty (false start) may result in penalty yardage assessed and the down replayed.

Article 6. Fouls by the offense during a successful PAT attempt that carry a loss-of-down penalty (flag guarding, illegal advancement, illegal forward pass, etc.) will result in the PAT being no good.

Article 7. Fouls committed by the offense in unsuccessful PAT attempts will be declined by the defense and the PAT will be “no good” and will not be replayed.

Article 8. Fouls by the defense during an unsuccessful PAT attempt will result in a retry after the options are administered.

Article 9. If the PAT-attempting team throws an interception and then commits a flagrant foul after the interception during the attempted return (physically contains the ball carrier; bear hugs, aggressively holds, tackles, etc. without making a clear, legal attempt to pull the ball carrier’s flag, the ball carrier will be awarded two points.

SECTION 3. OVERTIME EXTRA POINT SHOOT-OUT
Article 1. A coin flip determines first possession, 1 timeout per OT period

Article 2. Teams will go in reverse order if more then 1 OT is required

Article 3. Teams can elect to go for 1 or 2 points

Article 4. Winner will be determined once the value of the extra point exceeds the other team’s attempt.

SECTION 4. MERCY RULE
Article 1. No Mercy Rule during pool play games.  If a team is up by 28 points or more during tournament play at any time, the game will be over.

RULE 5. PENALTIES
SECTION 1. PENALTY CHARTS
Yardage     Where is the Penalty Assessed?     Result
Flag Guarding     5     Spot of foul     Loss of Down
Illegal Advancement     5     Spot of foul     Loss of down
Illegal Forward Pass     5     Previous spot     Loss of down
Offensive Pass Interference     5     Previous spot     Loss of Down
Defensive Pass Interference     10 or spot foul     10 from Previous spot or spot foul (whichever the offense chooses)     Automatic 1st Down


Yardage     Where is the Penalty Assessed?     Result
Personal Foul/Unnecessary Roughness     15     End of the play or previous spot     By the Offense: Loss of Down
By the Defense: Automatic 1st Down

Unsportsmanlike Conduct     15     End of the play or previous spot     By the Offense: Loss of Down
By the Defense: Automatic 1st Down

Roughing the Passer


10     Previous spot     Automatic 1st Down


Yardage     Where is the Penalty Assessed?     Result
Delay of Game     5     Previous spot     Replay down
** LOD, if 2 min or less

False Start     5     Previous spot     Replay down
**LOD, if 2 min or less

Encroachment     5     Previous spot     Automatic 1st down
Cool Down Period     0     No foul     Player must sit out 5 plays


Yardage     Where is the Penalty Assessed?     Result
Illegal Substitution     5     Previous spot     Replay down – dead ball
Illegal Shift or Illegal Motion     5     Previous spot     Replay down – live ball penalty
Stripping or Attempted Stripping     5     Spot of the foul     Automatic 1st down
Illegal Contact     5     Previous spot or spot of the foul     By the Offense: Loss of Down
By the Defense: Automatic 1st Down

Early Flag Pull     5     Previous spot     Automatic 1st Down
Illegal Participation     5     Previous spot     Loss of down


Yardage     Where is the Penalty Assessed?     Result
Illegal Blocking     5     Spot foul or from previous spot if behind LOS     Loss of down
Holding     5     Spot of the foul     Automatic 1st down
Impeding the rusher     5     Previous spot     Loss of down
Charging     5     Spot of the foul     Loss of down
Last Man Rule     15 or
TD

Spot of the foul     Automatic 1st down or
TD if inside the 5 yard line

SECTION 2. INSIDE 2 MINUTES
Article 1. All penalties inside of 2 minutes of BOTH halves remain the same except:

Defensive delay of game (+ 15 yards Unsportsmanlike & AFD)
Intentional Offensive delay of game (-15 yards Unsportsmanlike & LOD + clock stops)
Offensive Pre-snap penalties – yardage + LOD + clock stops
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