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VALLEY ELITE YOUTH  PASSING LEAGUE 7ON7 RULES

1. FIELD LENGTH:

A. 50 total yards (40 yards with a 10 yard end zone).

2. STARTING EACH GAME:

A. Coin flip will determine possession of the ball in pool play starting on the +40 yard line

with a choice of hash mark. Coin toss winner will be considered home team. In

tournament play team with higher seed starts with possession.

B. A horn or whistle will begin each game.

C. Each pool play game will last 20 minutes, running time. Each playoff game will last 25

minutes, running time.

D. PA announcer will declare when the clock goes under two minutes.

E. The clock will not stop for anything.

F. A horn or whistle will end each game.

3. MOVING THE BALL:

A. Offense always starts on +40 yard line with a choice of hash mark after any change of

possession. Offenses can ask officials to place the ball on either hash or in between after

every play.

B. Offense has three downs to gain a first down. First down markers will be at the +25

and +10 yard lines.

C. Once inside the +10 yard line, the offense has three downs to score a touchdown.

D. For the conversion after a touchdown, the offense can choose to go for 1 or 2 points.

A 1 point conversion is from the +5 yard line, and a 2 point conversion is from the +10

yard line. The offense may have a choice of hash mark for ball placement.

E. The offensive team may run the ball on any down. Runs that are allowed are: Dives,

Draw, Jet Sweep, Stretch, and Toss. There are no toss passes or reverses allowed. QB is

not eligible to run with the football beyond the line of scrimmage.

F. Defensive players cannot cross the line on a run play until the quarterback hands the

ball off to the running back.

G. Offense can use any formation to move the ball with 1 quarterback and 5 eligible

receivers. Offensive players can not be lined up within 3 yards of the snap counter

(tackle box) on the line of scrimmage. 7th player may only be a center to snap the ball.

4. COACHING YOUR TEAM:

A. There will be one offensive coach allowed on the field at any time.

B. The coach must be positioned behind the offensive huddle.

C. Coaches are not allowed to challenge any official ruling.

D. Remaining team coaches can work from the sideline.

E. No defensive coaches are allowed on the field.

5. SPECIAL RULES:

A. No blocking.

B. Blocking will result in the ball being returned to the spot of the foul.

C. Ball carrier is legally down when touched below the neck with one hand. A defender

cannot leave his feet to make a tag. Runner will still be able to run if defender's feet are

off the ground.

D. Fumbles (including snap) are dead balls at the spot with the last team in control

retaining possession at the spot.

E. Each team will have 25 seconds to put the ball into play.

F. The offensive team is responsible for retrieving and returning the ball to the official.

The clock does not stop and any delay by the offense in retrieving and returning the ball

to the official will result in a delay of game and a loss of down.

G. Defensive pass interference or defensive holding will result in an automatic 1st down

and the ball will advance to the next 1st down field marker. If defensive pass interference or

holding is committed within the 10 yard line, the ball will advance to the 5 yard line with an

automatic 1st down.

H. Offensive pass interference will result in a return to the previous spot plus a loss of

down.

I. Quarterback is allowed 4 seconds to throw the ball. Game official will stop the play if 4

seconds is surpassed.

J. An interception is a change of possession with the intercepting team gaining

possession at the +40 yard line. The result of an interception is also 6 points for the

defense only if the player who intercepts the ball returns it back to the 40 yard line

untouched by an offensive player. The intercepting team that scores 6 points on the

return will also retain possession of the ball at the +40 yard line. Interceptions in the end

zone are not allowed to be returned for 6 points, as it will only result in a touchback with

the intercepting team gaining possession at the +40 yard line.

K. Offensive player cannot dive to advance the ball.

6. FINAL MINUTE

A. If the losing team is at the +10 yard line or closer within the final minute of the game

and is within 8 points of the winning team, the game will continue beyond the game

clock.

B. The losing team can have as many as 3 untimed downs to score a touchdown. The

game will end if a touchdown is not scored.

C. An untimed extra point will be attempted only if it affects the outcome of the game.

 B. The coach must be positioned behind the offensive huddle.

C. Coaches are not allowed to challenge any official ruling.

D. Remaining team coaches can work from the sideline.

E. No defensive coaches are allowed on the field.

5. SPECIAL RULES:

A. No blocking.

B. Blocking will result in the ball being returned to the spot of the foul.

C. Ball carrier is legally down when touched below the neck with one hand. A defender

cannot leave his feet to make a tag. Runner will still be able to run if defender's feet are

off the ground.

D. Fumbles (including snap) are dead balls at the spot with the last team in control

retaining possession at the spot.

E. Each team will have 25 seconds to put the ball into play.

F. The offensive team is responsible for retrieving and returning the ball to the official.

The clock does not stop and any delay by the offense in retrieving and returning the ball

to the official will result in a delay of game and a loss of down.

G. Defensive pass interference or defensive holding will result in an automatic 1st down

and the ball will advance to the next 1st down field marker. If defensive pass interference or

holding is committed within the 10 yard line, the ball will advance to the 5 yard line with an

automatic 1st down.

H. Offensive pass interference will result in a return to the previous spot plus a loss of

down.

I. Quarterback is allowed 4 seconds to throw the ball. Game official will stop the play if 4

seconds is surpassed.

J. An interception is a change of possession with the intercepting team gaining

possession at the +40 yard line. The result of an interception is also 6 points for the

defense only if the player who intercepts the ball returns it back to the 40 yard line

untouched by an offensive player. The intercepting team that scores 6 points on the

return will also retain possession of the ball at the +40 yard line. Interceptions in the end

zone are not allowed to be returned for 6 points, as it will only result in a touchback with

the intercepting team gaining possession at the +40 yard line.

K. Offensive player cannot dive to advance the ball.

6. FINAL MINUTE

A. If the losing team is at the +10 yard line or closer within the final minute of the game

and is within 8 points of the winning team, the game will continue beyond the game

clock.

B. The losing team can have as many as 3 untimed downs to score a touchdown. The

game will end if a touchdown is not scored.

C. An untimed extra point will be attempted only if it affects the outcome of the game.

B. The coach must be positioned behind the offensive huddle.

C. Coaches are not allowed to challenge any official ruling.

D. Remaining team coaches can work from the sideline.

E. No defensive coaches are allowed on the field.

5. SPECIAL RULES:

A. No blocking.

B. Blocking will result in the ball being returned to the spot of the foul.

C. Ball carrier is legally down when touched below the neck with one hand. A defender

cannot leave his feet to make a tag. Runner will still be able to run if defender's feet are

off the ground.

D. Fumbles (including snap) are dead balls at the spot with the last team in control

retaining possession at the spot.

E. Each team will have 25 seconds to put the ball into play.

F. The offensive team is responsible for retrieving and returning the ball to the official.

The clock does not stop and any delay by the offense in retrieving and returning the ball

to the official will result in a delay of game and a loss of down.

G. Defensive pass interference or defensive holding will result in an automatic 1st down

and the ball will advance to the next 1st down field marker. If defensive pass interference or

holding is committed within the 10 yard line, the ball will advance to the 5 yard line with an

automatic 1st down.

H. Offensive pass interference will result in a return to the previous spot plus a loss of

down.

I. Quarterback is allowed 4 seconds to throw the ball. Game official will stop the play if 4

seconds is surpassed.

J. An interception is a change of possession with the intercepting team gaining

possession at the +40 yard line. The result of an interception is also 6 points for the

defense only if the player who intercepts the ball returns it back to the 40 yard line

untouched by an offensive player. The intercepting team that scores 6 points on the

return will also retain possession of the ball at the +40 yard line. Interceptions in the end

zone are not allowed to be returned for 6 points, as it will only result in a touchback with

the intercepting team gaining possession at the +40 yard line.

K. Offensive player cannot dive to advance the ball.

6. FINAL MINUTE

A. If the losing team is at the +10 yard line or closer within the final minute of the game

and is within 8 points of the winning team, the game will continue beyond the game

clock.

B. The losing team can have as many as 3 untimed downs to score a touchdown. The

game will end if a touchdown is not scored.

C. An untimed extra point will be attempted only if it affects the outcome of the game.

7. TIEBREAKER

A. Any game that ends in a tie will go to a tiebreaker. There will be a coin toss at the

beginning of the tiebreaker with the home team calling the toss. The winner will choose

to be on offense or defense.

B. Each team will have one snap from the +40 yard line with choice of hash mark.

C. The team who progresses the ball furthest down the field, whether by completing a

pass or by a run, will be declared the winner.

D. An offensive penalty is a loss of down. A defensive penalty will be marked off based

on the foul. (Ex. Defensive pass interference will advance ball to +25 yard line). If the

advancement due to penalty yardage exceeds ball progression of other team, the offense

still must run an offensive play with positive yardage to win tiebreaker.

E. If progress is equal, the tiebreaker will be repeated with the team that lost the initial

coin toss making the choice to play offense or defense.

F. This format will be repeated until a winner is declared.

G. The tie breaking format will be used in all pool play and playoff games*.

H. Winning the tiebreaker counts as a win in the standings and a 1 point advantage in the

scoring column.

8. OVERTIME*

A. If the game is tied after regulation time, semifinal and championship games will play

extra periods until a winner is declared. There will be a coin toss at the conclusion of the

regulation with the home team calling the toss. The winner will choose to be on offense

or defense.

B. Each team will a have possession with two snaps from the +10 yard line with choice of

hash mark. Teams must score a touchdown to win. After touchdown, scoring team has

the option of a 1 point or 2 point conversion. Note: regulation game scoring rules still

apply (i.e conversions and interceptions returned to 40 yard line).

C. Defensive penalties will result in half the distance to the goal and an extra down.

Offensive penalties result in a loss of down.

D. If the score remains tied, a second overtime will commence with the team that lost the

initial coin toss making the choice to play offense or defense. If the score remains tied

after 2 overtimes, the away team will call the coin toss to start the third overtime.

9. POINT VALUES

A. Offensive touchdown = 6 points

B. Extra point from +5 yard line = 1 point

C. Extra point from the +10 yard line = 2 points

D. Tiebreaker victory = 1 point

E. Defensive pass interception returned untouched to the 40-yard line = 6 points

10. PLAYOFF BRACKET

Teams will be seeded according to their pool play record, points scored, and point

differential.

11. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (High School division only)

A. High School Championship game is a 30-minute game played on 80-yard field (70

yards with a 10 yard end zone).

B. Offense starts on -30 with a choice of hash mark after any change of possession.

C. Offense has 3 downs to gain a first down. First down markers will be at the -45, +40,

+25, and +10 yard lines.

D. In the final two minutes, the game clock will stop for first downs, penalties, incomplete

passes and when players go out of bounds. The game clock will commence on the snap

of the ball.

12. CODE OF CONDUCT

Players, coaches, spectators and parents are to conduct themselves in a manner that

demonstrates good sportsmanship and respect to other players, coaches, officials and

spectators. Passing Down reserves the absolute right to eject any player, coach,

spectator and parent from the tournament for failure to abide by its code of conduct. Any

team that is found to have competed with current high school 12th grade players or older

will be automatically disqualified without refund from the tournament. Organizations with

multiple teams in a single event may not taxi players between teams. If teams are found

to use 1 or more players on multiple teams, said teams involved will be disqualified

without refund.