San Diego County Football Officials Association - Weekly Bulletin Flag Football 9/18/24
Instructional Video from Our State Rules Interpreter – This is another outstanding YouTube video. It’s only 30-minutes in length and full of interpretations and video examples. It’s dated 9/1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPTKH9h8Bho&t=852s
Shift and Motion – After a huddle, and/or prior to the snap, all 7-players on the offense must be set (stationary) for one-second. Then, one player may go in motion, and remain in motion, as long as she is going lateral or backwards at the snap.
More on Formations – Offense must have at least 4 players on the line of scrimmage and no more than 3 players in the backfield. Those on the line of scrimmage may line up anywhere on either side of the center. The offense must have at least one player on either side of the center. Everyone is eligible.
Formations in the No-Run Zone – The offense is not allowed more than 3 players within 4 yards of the ball at the time of the snap. The 4-yard boundary is a circle around the ball when the ball is snapped. So, if a player is in motion, she may be motioning into that zone and possibly creating a fourth player within 4 yards of the ball. Be careful with your motion in the no-run zone.
More on the No-Run Zone – Directly from the rule book; “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.” So, the QB can pitch, lateral or pass the ball forward or backward from behind the LOS to a teammate who is also behind the LOS and that person can now advance the ball beyond the LOS.
Bunch Formations – These are completely legal outside of the No-Run Zones. But I’ve seen video of teams in a tight bunch formation running the bunch on five vertical routes thus creating a moving screen for an underneath pass. This leaves the official to determine if the bunch is running a route? Or are they illegally blocking downfield? The same can be said for a single receiver running “a route” directly toward the rusher for the defense in a manner that an official could only judge as a blocking action downfield. Offenses must avoid the rusher downfield.
Spinning – Again, must be at least two complete turns (720 degrees) as the runner is running in a straight line. All simple spins, even a complete 360-degree spin, is a legal action.
Blocking – Blocking behind the line of scrimmage is legal. The blocker will be stationary when the defender gets one yard from her. So a back standing with the QB in the backfield, may move to a new position and then stop and remain stationary while the QB runs behind her to use her “shield” as a blocker. Now downfield, there can be no blocking. Once a pass is completed, the other receivers must stop, move away, or move in a manner that does not impede or interfere with the defense’s pursuit or attempt to de-flag a runner.
Option Plays – Flank officials must know whether a pitch is forward or backward, plus know if the pitch was made from behind the line of scrimmage or in front of the LOS. If the pitch is from the QB and it is in front of the LOS that would count as the one run allowed per series of downs. In addition, the officials must be alert for the other “option player” running interference for her teammate in a manner that would be considered blocking.
Forward and Backward Fumbles Hit the Ground – If the ball is fumbled forward and hits the ground, the ball is returned to the spot where the ball was fumbled. If the ball is fumbled backwards, then the ball is placed at the spot where the fumble hit the ground.
Holding – If a defender attempts to pull the runner’s flags by standing in front of the runner and reaching for both flags at the same time, that could be a foul for holding as the defender has impeded the runner’s progress in the attempt. Impeding the runner’s progress in this manner will be penalized as holding. This is covered in the Instructional Video. Remember, if possible, the runner must avoid contact with the defender.
De-Flagging – The rule book is vague about a flag coming off the runner, on its own, while she’s running with the ball. On page 10 it says “a tag will be used to down a player who has lost their flag legally or illegally before possessing the ball.” A quick call to our Rules Interpreter confirmed that a tag will also be used to down a player who has lost their flag legally or illegally while possessing the ball. If the flag falls off during the run, the runner is not down…rather…not down until 1-hand tagged by the defense.
Halftime – Reminder half time is 5-minutes. Rule Book page 10
QB runs and Penalties – If a QB runs and there is a penalty against the offense which requires that we replay the down, then the QB run does not count as her 1 run per series of downs. The logic is that we’re replaying the down, so the down did not count. But if the penalty is say Flag Guarding, then the offense is penalized 10-yards at the spot of the foul and the down counts (loss of down) and the QB run counts!
The Ball Remains Live on All PATs – Reminder that the ball remains live if the defense intercepts and returns the interception. If they advance all the way to the other goal line the defense scores 2-points!
