General Rules

Team Arrival  
Teams must be on-site and ready to start on time.
Late teams will begin with the game clock running.
If late by 10 minutes or more, the game is forfeited.
Late teams start on defense if less than 10 minutes late.  

Equipment:  
All players MUST wear mouthpieces.
Head Gear is recommended but not required.
The quarterback is not required to wear a soft-shell helmet.  

Game Play:
20-minute running clock (10 min grace period)
3 downs in open field and redzone.
No blocking on offense or defense.
No kicking or punting.
All passes must be forward. Laterals are only allowed after a forward pass is completed.
Each team is allowed one blitz per game and unlimited runs.  
Each team gets one timeout in Bracket Play only.





Scoring

Touchdown: 6 points (one foot in bounds)
Extra Points:  
From the 10-yard line: 1 point.  
From the 20-yard line: 2 points.  
Interceptions:  
2 points for an interception.
6 points for interception for touchdown
Turnover on PAT attempts results in a dead ball.  
Defensive Stops: 1 point.





Overtime Rules

No overtime in pool play, (ONLY BRACKET PLAY)

Bracket play Overtime rules

Each team gets two (2) plays from the 15-yard line.
Teams can score as many points as possible with their (2) plays.
Interceptions eliminate all remaining offensive plays for that possession but do not score points.
If tied after one OT, move to a second OT with one play. If still tied, a third OT with one play per team. (BRACKET PLAY ONLY)


Player and Coaching Rules  

Players:  
Maximum of 25 players per team.
All players must be registered and verified on ZortsSports.com.  

Coaches:  
Maximum of four (4) coaches per team.
One offensive coach may be on the field in the huddle but must not interfere during play.
Defensive coaches must remain off the field.  


Penalties  

Offense  
Illegal Alignment: Loss of down.
Off-Sides: Loss of down.  
Delay of Game: Loss of down.
Pass Interference: 5-yard penalty and loss of down.  
4.0 Second Violation: If the QB takes more than 4 seconds to release the ball, the play is dead with a loss of down.  

Defense

Off-Sides: 5-yard penalty.
Defensive Holding: 5-yard penalty.
Pass Interference: Spot foul.
In the end zone: Ball placed at the 1-yard line with a first down.
Illegal Blitz: If more than one blitz is used, offense receives a first down at the spot.  



Turnovers/Dead Balls  

Dead Ball:  
Fumbles that hit the ground are dead at the spot.
A muffed snap is not a dead ball.  

Tackling Rule:  
A player is down when touched below the neck with one or both hands. Excessive force will result in a 5-yard penalty and possible expulsion.  



Officials and Staff

Each game will have two (2) officials  
Each field will have a scorekeeper and a field manager to oversee operations, manage final scores, and maintain crowd control.  



Tiebreakers (Bracket Play)

- Ties are resolved in overtime as outlined above.  


Code of Conduct
 
No Taunting or Trash Talking
Violators will receive a penalty. Repeated offenses may result in expulsion.  

Fighting  
Any player involved in a fight is disqualified from the tournament immediately.  
If multiple players are involved, both teams will be eliminated from the tournament.