OFFICIAL RULES                           RULE 7  SNAPPING AND PASSING THE BALL                                 PAGE 29
SECTION 1 --  THE SCRIMMAGE.

Article 1 - Starting with a Legal Snap.  All scrimmage-plays must start with a legal snap of the ball in which the snapper has assumed a straddled-position so the ball is passed between the legs with one quick and continuous motion of the hand(s) and arm(s).  This requires the ball to change possession between the snapper and a teammate legally in the team backfield.

Article 2 - Illegal Snaps.  It is a violation when the snap is made with more than one movement.  The ball can not be first lifted or raised off the ground and then snapped.  The snap, except when League formats allow, must be made from a straddled position by the snapper.  All preliminary movement involving the ball are violations except for normal and continued adjustment of the ball by the snapper preparatory to a snap.  In leagues where side-saddle stances are allowed certain players, the snapper can not turn the body more than 90 degrees to the scrimmage-line; and, can not violate the requirement that the snap be one continuous movement that brings the ball directly from the ground into flight.

A "return-snap" in which the snapper has the ball touched by a player in the backfield but retains possession is illegal and subject to penalty.

Article 3 - Requirements for a Valid Scrimmage Down.  Both teams must meet set requirements for each valid scrimmage down.
  1. Offensive Team Requirements.  All offensive players must be within 15 yards of the ball when it is declared ready for play or have assumed their positions after leaving the team huddle or reporting to the general field-area where the huddle was or might be held.

    Snappers on all plays must have their shoulders parallel to the goal-line they face when at the scrimmage-line.

    The offensive-team is required to have at the scrimmage-line the number of players required in its league's format for play.  All offensive players on the scrimmage-line must have their shoulders parallel to the goal-line they face when at that scrimmage-line.


  2. Defensive Team Requirements.  Defensive players must observe the neutral-zone when this is established by the action of the offensive team snapper and remain beyond this zone until the ball is snapped.  Any Team B movement into this neutral-zone once it is established is an automatic encroachment violation.


  3. Prohibitions as to Player Stances.  No player may assume, even temporarily, a stance with a hand, wrist, forearm or elbow in contact with the ground.  The snapper, when using one-hand to snap, can not have the free hand in contact with the ground.
    4.
    NOTE:  This Rule effectively means that all three and four-point stances are illegal.

Article 4 - Shift Plays.  In a play preceded by a shift, all players involved must come to a full stop and maintain this motionless posture for at least one-second prior to the snap.

Article 5 -  Unusual Formation.  In a league that makes interior linemen ineligible to touch a legal forward pass, a team that would use an unusual formation in which such linemen are made eligible, must do the following to avoid being penalized for an unfair act:
  1. before the game provide the officials with a diagram and explanation of the unusual formation that must include the game conditions in which it might be used.
  2. inform the referee immediately before the unusual formation is used in a game


    3. Referees are to invalidate the results of any play from an unusual formation and penalize a team for unfair actions if the team failed to follow the provisions of this Rule.
OFFICIAL RULES                             RULE 7  SNAPPING AND PASSING THE BALL                                  PAGE 30
Article 6 -  Handing the Ball Forward.  No player may hand the ball forward except to a teammate who is legally behind the scrimmage-line.  No player may hand the ball forward to a teammate who was positioned first on the line-of-scrimmage except after that player left the line, faced the team goal, and was at least one-yard behind the scrimmage-line when receiving the ball.

NOTE:  Handing the ball forward is legally the equivalent of a forward-pass.  Once a team has employed a forward hand-off as allowed by Rule, it can not then on that play throw a forward-pass subject to penalty.

SECTION 2 --  BACKWARD PASS AND FUMBLE.

Article 1 - Backward Pass or Hand-Off.  A ball-carrier may hand the ball backward at any time and multiple repetitions of this action are allowed on a scrimmage-play.

Article 2 - Errant and Muffed Backward Pass or Hand-Off.  A backward pass, including an errant or bad snap from center or one muffed by a back that hits the ground, is dead at the spot of ground-contact unless impetus from contact with a player caused the ball to be advanced forward.  In these cases, the ball will be dead at the spot it touched the player who caused it to move forward.

A backward pass that is a snap when made poorly or muffed so the ball strikes the ground on a team's goal or in the end-zone is a safety.

SECTION 3 -- FORWARD PASS AND PLAYER ELIGIBILITY.

Article 1 - Legal Pass and Eligibility.  League formats will specify if all players are eligible to touch or catch a forward-pass, and, in some leagues which players on the scrimmage-line are prohibited from these rights.  In some leagues, other limitations by Rules on gender participation legality to touch or catch a forward pass will exist.

Article 2 - Requirements to Legally Ground a Pass.  A Team A player may legally throw or ground a possessed-ball without penalty if its purpose was to stop the clock only by meeting these requirements:  1) The down must begin with a "direct-snap" in which the player who would ground the ball receives it in a hand-to-hand exchange with the snapper at the scrimmage-line;  2) The player receiving the snap must fully and clearly possess the ball and demonstrate this possession by taking one-step with the ball clearly in possession; and, 3) The player after meeting these requirements must immediately and intentionally throw the ball to the ground with an action that clearly evidences possession and a purpose in grounding.

A snap not cleanly handled by the Team A player or one not clearly possessed so it falls to the ground; or, one but partially possessed so the ball is juggled or bobbled must be possessed before being eligible to be grounded.  Failure to take one-step when clearly in possession of the ball makes any grounding illegal as does a failure to immediately throw the ball to the ground.

    NOTE:  Any failure to meet each requirement for a legal grounding makes the down a running-play with the clock to continue to operate.

Article 3 - Legal Forward Pass and Simultaneous Deflagging.  A forward-pass has legally begun when the passer's arm has intentionally started any forward movement.  Any deflagging that occurs of the passer simultaneous with this forward motion or movement of the arm holding the ball can not stop this play from legally continuing.  Simultaneous deflagging means that a Team B defender must have the flag-belt clearly detached from the passer's body before that player's arm has begun any forward movement.  When a question exists as to whether a pass was underway or a deflagging occurred, a pass was underway.

OFFICIAL RULES                           RULE 7  SNAPPING AND PASSING THE BALL                                  PAGE 31
Article 4 - Legal Backward Pass/Hand-Off and Simultaneous Deflagging.  A backward pass or hand-off has begun when a player's arm with the ball has intentionally started any movement to throw, toss or hand-off the ball.  Any deflagging of a player in the act of making a backward pass or hand-off simultaneous with this action can not stop this play from legally continuing.  Simultaneous deflagging means that a Team B defender must have the flag-belt clearly detached from the opponent's body before that player's arm or hands have begun a movement to backward pass or hand-off the ball.  When a question exists as to whether a backward pass or hand-off was underway or a deflagging occurred, a backward pass or hand-off was underway.

Article 5 - Simultaneous Catch and Joint Possession.  At the instant the ball becomes dead and players from opposing teams share possession, the reception will belong to the offensive player.  When a question exists as to whether players simultaneously caught a pass; a simultaneous catch has occurred.  When a question exists as to whether players on a pass shared joint-possession, they both shared possession.
SECTION 4 -- ILLEGAL FORWARD PASS.  A forward-pass is illegal when:
  1. The passer was beyond the neutral-zone when the ball left the hand.
  2. The pass is the second forward movement of the ball in the down by the offensive team.
  3. The ball is intentionally thrown to the ground, out of bounds, or to a field area not occupied by an eligible receiver unless allowed by rule.
  4. An illegal forward pass thrown from the end-zone will allow the offended team to accept the award of a safety as the result of the play.

SECTION 5 -- ELIGIBILITY TO TOUCH OR CATCH A LEGAL PASS.

Article 1 - Eligible Players.  All players on both teams, excluding those offensive linemen when set by league format, are eligible to touch or catch a legal forward pass except as follows:
  1. A player who stepped on or over a sideline or end-line can not legally return to the field and participate by touching or catching a pass.
  2. A player who took a field position within five-yards of a sideline without being in the team huddle or reporting to the huddle area, or, who left the field and crossed a sideline is ineligible to touch or catch a legal pass.  A player who departed from the field by crossing a sideline can not return to the game until one scrimmage down has been completed.
Article 2 - Eligibility Regained.  When a Team B player touches a legal forward pass, all players are thereafter eligible.

Team A players illegally or accidentally deflagged can touch a legal forward pass and their forward progress stopped by application of the One-Hand Touch Rule.

On a conversion pass try after touchdown, Team B can not advance an interception.

OFFICIAL RULES                      RULE 7  SNAPPING AND PASSING THE BALL                                   PAGE 32
SECTION 6 -- INCOMPLETE PASS.  A pass is incomplete when: 1) The pass touches the ground or goes out of bounds; 2)When players jump to receive the pass but first land on or outside a boundary line; or, 3) A player catches or intercepts a pass while jumping and does not retain possession of the reception after hitting the ground.

SECTION 7 -- ILLEGAL CONTACT AND PASS INTERFERENCE.  Contact by a player which interferes with an eligible receiver who is beyond the neutral zone during a legal forward pass is pass interference unless it occurs:
  1. When two or more players make a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch, or bat the pass.
  2. When immediately following the snap, opposing players instantaneously contact opponents at a point within one-yard of the neutral zone.
  3. When Team B players contact an opponent before the pass has been thrown.
  4. Interference beyond the scrimmage line is prohibited by Team A players from the time the ball is snapped until the pass is touched by any player.
  5. Interference beyond the scrimmage line is prohibited by Team B players from the time a pass is thrown until that pass is touched by any player.
Eligible players on both teams have equal right to reach for, catch, or bat a passed ball.  Physical contact is required to establish the fact that interference has occurred with each player retaining a territorial right to occupy a space on the field or to be able to return to the ground after jumping.  Incidental contact resulting from a bona fide effort to reach, catch or bat a pass is not interference.  A foul by one or both players is indicated when they obviously intended to impede an opponent.  It is pass interference by Team B only when a catchable pass is involved.  When in question, a legal forward pass is not catchable.  Contact initiated by Team A players with defenders that interfere with those players can be offensive interference as the offensive player has the responsibility to avoid opponents on the field.

SECTION 8 -- INTERFERENCE AS A SPOT FOUL.  NCAA Rule provisions of yardage penalties for pass-interference only apply when such a foul occurred within 15 yards of the scrimmage-line.  In all other instances, interference in Program leagues is a spot foul.

SECTION 9 -- DEFENSIVE PLAYER LIMITATIONS ON PASSES.  Team B players must play the ball or play the flag when defending against a pass in flight.  Bodily contact initiated by Team B defender against a receiver that does not derive from a valid attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass or to deflag are personal fouls.

Article 1 - Physical Contact Fouls and Roughing the Passer.  No Team B player shall run into or otherwise rough the passer in an attempt to block a pass or from an attempt to deflag the passer.  A Team B player may not in jumping to block a pass initiate any physical contact with the body or arm of the passer.  This Rule has the power of passer protection afforded a kicker under NCAA Rules.

Roughing the passer is a personal foul imposed because the violation endangered the well-being of the passer.  Physically running into the passer is a foul when a defender makes physical contact with the passer's body or arm.  Incidental brushing of the passer's arm or hand are not fouls.
OFFICIAL RULES                           RULE 7  SNAPPING AND PASSING THE BALL                                  PAGE 33
Article 2 - Pass Receiver Protection.  On pass plays, Team B players can attempt to reach, catch or bat a Team A pass before it has been touched by a Team A receiver; or, to deflag the Team A receiver once that player has touched the pass.  Defenders are forbidden to in any way physically act against a Team A player unless such contact was coincident with and the direct result of a bona fide effort by the Team B player's attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass.  It shall be a personal-foul for a Team B player to play the body of the receiver by initiating contact by running into, bumping, pushing, shoving with hands or arms, or, bodying the opponent or to grab the arms or hands of a receiver.  This Rule requires a defender make a bona-fide attempt to legally contest a pass before it has been touched by a receiver or to thereafter concede the reception and to deflag that receiver.  Any other act is a foul.
Article 3 - Illegal Contact with Ball-Carriers.  On all plays, defenders are prohibited from engaging in actions considered routine in regulation football that by the nature of flag-football are not legal:
  1. It shall be a personal-foul for a defender to grab or strip the ball from a ball-carrier when this act creates any physical contact by reason that such action does not meet the requirement that the only legal acts by defenders must be directed at the ball-carrier's flag-belt.

  2. It shall also be a personal-foul when a defender attempts to knock the ball from the hand of the ball-carrier so that any physical contact is made by reason that such action does not meet the requirement that the only legal acts by defenders must be directed at the ball-carrier's flag-belt.
    NOTE:  The above Rules have special application on pass plays with a defender being limited in an attempt to defend against Team A passes.  Team B defenders have a right to attempt to bat or intercept the ball and may contest the pass while it is in-flight.  But, once a Team A receiver has touched and is is in the process of obtaining possession of the pass so it is no longer in-flight, the Team B defenders are prohibited from actions that continue to contest the passes' reception and can not grab at nor attempt to strip that ball from the Team A receiver but must thereafter play that player's flag-belt to end the play.