SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION – THE WEEKLY BULL FOR FLAG – August 7, 2024
Hello Flag Football Coaches and ADs – This is our second Weekly Bulletin. In these bulletins, I will share rules, interpretations, and points of emphasis throughout the season. If you don’t find these helpful, there's always the delete button! Thank you! - Steve Coover, Instructional Chair and CIF Football Rules Interpreter, San Diego County Football Officials Association (619) 921-3006 cooversteve@gmail.com
Conference Meetings – Grossmont Conference Meeting Monday August 12th at 6:00pm at Grossmont HS Room 805. Thank you Megan Long.
CIF State Flag Football Rules Interpreter – MaryAnn Menlove (801) 635-9862. MaryAnnMenlove@gmail.com. Some of her interpretations are included in this Weekly Bulletin. I’ll start with MaryAnn’s answers to some questions from Sac-Joaquin Section:
Can WRs go down field and stop one yard in front of a defender- setting a pick on obvious running plays? The rule say no blocking past the LOS. - This is always going to be a judgement call. If in the judgement of the official this was a block or “pick” then it is a foul. However, the receivers taught to stop and/or get out of the way of the runner. If in the judgement of the official the player was stopping their route on a running play to do this then you may have no foul. Blocking beyond the LOS is a spot foul so the offense may/can gain yards even after the penalty is enforced. When in doubt, a blocking foul should be called and will be supported.
Should flag guarding immediately stop play once called? Some of our officials felt it’s a safety issue – rule book has it as a live ball foul so play continues. - We understand the “safety issue”, but if play continues then the players are no less safe than on any other play. We don’t consider flag guarding a safety foul. The reasoning behind the Live Ball Foul is - in a flag guarding call, angles are everything. Should the crew need to come together to discuss as all have different angles a flag may be waved off if necessary. From one angle, normal running motion may look like flag guarding, but from another angle the official may see that the defender was nowhere near grasping the flag and/or that it was not flag guarding. We should not have flag guarding if the defender would have not been able to de-flag the runner.
“If a defense “blitzes” or rushes multiple defensive players at the quarterback, the quarterback may run without it counting as their one run per series of downs.” Was this a rule change or an accidental omission between the rule document dated June 12 2023 and the March 18 2024 doc ument? It is not in the March 18 version. - “Blitzing” was removed from the rule book entirely. It was confusing and difficult. The QB is allowed one run per series of downs. The term “the QB” refers to all QBs if the team is alternating QBs. Only one rush total.
Tagging is the act of touching a player with one hand, anywhere between the shoulder and knees, or shoulders and hips? There are two different definitions in the 2024 Rule Book. The rule book says shoulder and hips because we don’t want the players attempting at the legs ever. This could be a safety issue.
Both tag rule references state or infer the flag was lost prior to a runner having possession. What if a runner possessing the ball loses their flag either legally or illegally (it dropped off verse being deflagged) Is the the runner down at the spot were the flag fell off or does play continue until a one hand tag? - If a runner in possession of the ball looses a flag they should be downed. There is no reason the flags should be able to come out other than if they are pulled.
Now some Coover Answers to Questions from San Diego Coaches –
Can Flags be Velcro? – Flags must be removable from the belt. That could be Velcro or the POP system.
What if the runner’s long hair is covering the flags? – Just like the jersey, the hair cannot cover the flags. I should be pulled back or worn in a manner that eliminates that possibility.
What constitutes a Spin? – It must be a rotation greater than 360 degrees. Rotating completely around 360 degrees in an attempt to avoid a flag being pulled while moving along in a straight line.
Some of the POP style flags slide to the back while the girl is running. How are we going to handle that? - The only option I can think of is a constant flag checking do keep adjusting the flags back to their original position.
What are the basic Mechanics of the Officiating Crew? – The Referee will be back with the QB, the Head Linesman will be at the line of scrimmage at the down indicator, and the LJ will be located opposite the Head Linesman at the sideline and the 7-yard Rush Line.
“When the ball is snapped within the No Run Zone, it shall not be advanced beyond the LOS without first being passed forward or backward. Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of the No Run Zone? – The rule is the rule. The QB may shovel pass or lateral forward or backward and that teammate receiving the forward or backward pass may advance beyond the LOS.
The person who receives the snap is considered the QB for that play. Once any other Team A player possesses the ball all restrictions place on the offense or defense regarding the QB are dissolved, eve if the A player who received the snpa possesses the ball again during the scrimmage play. – These are correct statements right from the 2024 Rule Book. So, if a second Team A player receives the ball from the QB there would be no 7-second rule, and they can be pursued by any, or all members of the defense. If the second player received the ball from the QB via a forward or backward pass, there would be no running limitations relative to the NRZ.
What is the Passing Clock? - The Quarterback has 7 seconds to release the ball. At the expiration of the passing clock, the officials will signal the play dead. Once any other A player possesses the ball, the Passing Clock dissolves.
