5 man rules

.1-Field Size: 80X30 with fixed 1st downs on 15/30/15.

1.2-EQUIPMENT: The Official ball is the Wilson NFL GAME BALL (leather) and must be fully inflated. NO COMPOSITE footballs are permitted. (An official NFL GAME BALL has the NFL commissioner’s signature and does not have a bar code. No metal cleats, hard casts, metal or plastic knee braces. Hats may be worn, but only backwards. No “foreign” equipment may be worn/used. All coaches must have a first aid kit at all games.

1.3-ROSTER: Roster limit is ten (10) players. Each team must field a min. of four (4) players to start the game. If a team does not have at least 3 players at 15 minutes past game time, that team forfeits the game. If a team can only field 3 players, the opposing team still uses 5 players, and is awarded first possession with choice at the half (no coin flip). Each coach MUST post their teams entire roster on their team website (provided by the league), prior to their 3rd game, and can edit and delete players up until week 5. No players can be added to your roster after week 5. Players must play a minimum of 4 regular season games to be eligible for the play-offs. If a player is injured and cannot play, in order to be eligible for the play-offs he must attend the regular season game(s) in which he will not be playing due to injury and sign himself in with “IR” next to his name. No one is permitted to sign another player in. Players in the 5-man division are allowed to play on 8 & 9 man teams in the same season, but no player is EVER allowed to play on more than one 5-man team, regardless of division. Each player has until the beginning of week 4 to get “waivers” from there coach. In order to leave a team and join another, the coach of the team that is being left, must notify the league that he is releasing that player before the 4th game. There are no switching teams after the 4th game.

1.4-TIME: Two 24 minute “running time” halves except during the last two minutes of each half, when the clock is the traditional NFL clock. Under the two minute warning, the clock stops on incomplete passes and plays that get ran out of bounds. The clock stops on a first down, until the ball is set. The QB of each team is responsible for bringing the ball spotters to the ref at the end of each play. If a player drops the ball (fumble) or drops a lateral the clock does not stop. Note: During the last 2 minutes, the clock stops after an offensive penalty until the ball is set.

1.5 -OVERTIME: If the regulation time ends in a tie, tied games are settled with the “Shoot-out” method There is one coin toss for overtime.

• Each team gets an equal 3 downs from the 10 yard line.
• The 1st and 2nd rounds – If needed, each team gets an equal 4 downs but switch order.
• If 3 or more rounds are needed, each team gets
  one down with the choice of going for 1 pt. from the 5 yard line, 2 pts from the 10 yard line, or 3 pts from the 15 yard line

1.6-GAME CANCELATIONS/CHANGES: Games may be canceled at am on Sunday morning or at the field by the referee, if inclement weather would cause severe field damage. If the field begins to be damaged during the course of a game, there referee has the right to call the game, move the field or delay games at any point.

1.7- RUSHING/CONTACT/ Laterals – There is NO CONTACT in 5-on-5. Any contact can be called a penalty. There is no “setting pics”. Once a player has possession of the ball and is moving forward all offensive players without the ball must stand still, until the ball carrier in front of the other offensive players. At that point the offensive players without the ball can tail the ball carrier and await a lateral, but if an offensive player gets in the way of a defensive players ‘running path’ he will be called for setting a pic. You cannot run alongside the ball carrier for a lateral. In order to lateral the ball, the ball carrier must lateral the ball to the player where the player stands, or to a player behind or to the side of him/her. The rusher(s) have a free run at the QB. An offensive player cannot stand in the rusher’s way or PIC him, and must avoid the rusher at all costs. The rusher can line up anywhere behind the 5yd rush line. If the rusher lines up straight up with the center, the rusher has the right of way. If the rusher lines up on an angle the rusher must give the offensive players the right of way. The rusher(s) must RUN to the line of scrimmage and must be moving forward for the duration of the play. If the QB rolls out of the pocket, the center must clear the area. (See center interference in section 6 for penalties and yardage)

1.8-POSSESSION- Each “new” possession starts on the 15 yard line. You get 3 plays to get a first down. If you fail to reach one of the set first downs (15, 30, 15), the opposing team takes over on their own 15 yard line. The ball is dead any time it hits the ground. Bad snaps are dead at the spot, as are fumbles or intentionally spiked balls (behind the line of scrimmage). There is no kicking or punting in 5-on-5.

1.9-There are no refunds after the first weeks schedule is made. There are no refunds or credits for games won, lost, or due to forfeits.

1.10- Standings are decided by: 1) Win-Loss Record 2) Head to Head results 3) +/- Points. In the event of a multiple team tie, the first tie breaker is overall head to head record. Then +/- points.

Section 2-Officials

2.1- Two (2) officials are used during all 5-man “A” & “B” division game. Officials must be paid in full prior to the coin toss. If your team misses a game a forfeit fee of $77 dollars must be given to the referee before you can play your next game

2.2-The officials must be afforded proper respect at all times. If any player touches and official, that player is banned from the league, and that players teams will forfeit the rest of the season. Any player that directs foul language at or threatens and official are subject to both game expulsion/suspension and/or monetary fines. An official has the right to stop, cancel, or forfeit any game at any given time, if there is fighting, violence or cursing.

2.3- Head Official of each game can reverse any call, end any game, and elevate any call to a “Personal Foul” for behavior deemed dangerous or disrespectful. 2 personal fouls in the same game will result in the offender leaving the park before play resumes and a 2 week suspension

2.4-After any INADVERTENT WHISTLE the “offense” has the choice of play over or ground gained. (Where the whistle was blown)

2.5-PROTESTS: Only a rule misinterpretation can be protested, not a bad/missed call. If you are protesting a game, you MUST follow the correct procedure. You must IMMEDIATELY inform the lead official and pull your team off the field. Note the clock, score, and ball placement. Have the Head referee call whoever is “on call” to handle protests that day and a decision will be made. No Protests can be made AFTER another subsequent “play” has been run.

2.6-It is the team’s responsibility to check with the referee after the game to make sure he has the correct score.

Section 3- SCORING

3.1- (six) Points awarded for a touchdown. 2 (two) Points awarded for a safety.

3.2- Extra Points are passing only. Go for 1 (one) from the 3 yard line or 2 two from the 10 yard line.

3.4-When going for a 2-pt conversion, an interception can be run back for 2 pts by the defense

3.4-The winning team of a forfeit is awarded a 6-0 win. If the team that forfeits has a positive +/-, the winning team can elect to take a win of equal or lesser value (35-0 is the limit) of the forfeiting teams positive points.

3.5- If any team forfeits because of disciplinary reason during a game, the non-offending team keeps points scored.

3.6- If a team is up by 18 or more points at the 2 minute warning, the Mercy Rule is used and the game is over. That also applies for any team winning by 30 points at any point in the game.

Section 4-Offensive Scrimmage

4.1-There must be 2 players lined up anywhere on the line of scrimmage at the start of each play. The center must snap the ball through the legs. No player is allowed to line up closer than 4 yards next to the center. There is no “bunching.” All players on the line of scrimmage must be at least 2 yards apart from one another.

4.2-Ball Carrier cannot flag guard, run over a defender (charging), lower his shoulder, dive, or crawl to advance the ball. If the ball carrier leaves his feet and lands on anything but his feet, it will be considered diving.

4.3-The spot of the ball will be where the flag is grabbed, not where the ball is.

4.4-Receivers must have 2 (two) feet in bounds.

4.5-Only 1 (one) forward pass per play. The Offense has 6 (six) seconds to get the ball over the line of scrimmage, by run or pass or the play will be called dead. Once inside the “red-zone” (15 yard line) it’s PASSING ONLY. There are NO RUN PLAYS, inside the “red-zone”. Any plays that get ran over the line of scrimmage inside the red-zone will be a 5 yard penalty and a loss of down.

Any forward pass that is caught before the line of scrimmage in the red-zone is illegal and will be accessed a 5 yard penalty and loss of down.

4.6 Once the ball carrier stops running and “gives up,” the play will be blown dead, regardless of whether or not the flag was pulled. 2 seconds and the play is dead.

4.7-There are no “sleeper” plays. When a new player enters the playing field, he must check into the huddle in order to be eligible.

4.8-All jerseys must be tucked in. If the flags are not 100 percent accessible to the defense, they play will be called dead as soon as the ball carrier is touched.

4.9-When the QB is avoiding the rusher – the Pass must be within 5 yards of a Receiver or Intentional Grounding is called. You can still spike the ball to stop the clock – the key is avoiding the rusher.

Section 5-DEFENSIVE SCRIMMAGE

5.1- Defense can line up anywhere they want on the defensive side of the ball, except the rusher who lines up 5 yards off the line of scrimmage. (rusher see 1.7)

5.2-There are no “chucks” or “bumping” receivers as they begin there route. There is NO CONTACT in 5-on-5.

5.3- If a ball carriers flag comes off without being pulled or he starts the play with no flags, then it is “one hand touch” to end the play.

5.4-Standard pass-interference rules apply. No contact can be used to break up a play without legitimately going for the ball. There is no stripping the ball. There is no DE-flagging the receiver before he gets the ball (15 yard Personal Foul).

5.5- Any Interception can be run out of the end zone. If an interception in the end zone takes place during a 1 point conversion try, the team on defense takes over on their own 15 yard line (touchback). If an interception takes place during a 2 point conversion try (whether or not it occurs in the end zone) then the defense can return it for 2 points.

Section 6- Fouls & Penalties

6.1- 5 Yard Penalties include: off-sides, False Start, Encroachment, Delay of game, too many players on the field, illegal procedure.

6.2- Center interference is a 5 yard penalty and a loss of down, Intentional grounding is a 5 yard penalty and a loss of down

6.3- 10 Yard Penalties include: Offensive Holding, Offensive Pass Interference, Flag Shield, and Diving

(See 4.2), Charging, Illegal Stiff Arm (from the spot and down counts).

6.4- 15 yard Penalties: Personal Fouls, Cursing, Unnecessary Roughness, Roughing. Spectator Penalties.

6.5- Off setting Penalties = down over. Half the distance when yardage exceeds 50% to TD.

6.6- Multiple Fouls-only highest yardage scrimmage penalty is assessed. However, multiple “Personal Fouls” are tacked on together with scrimmage penalties regardless of amount.

6.7-Game Suspension-Cursing, Shoving, Threatening, acquiring 2 personal fouls. Coach must escort any ejected player off the premises or face more penalties.

6.8-Other Suspensions-Touching an official. Fighting and multiple past minor Offenses can lead to being banned from the league for life. One Punch=One Season

6.9- Team Fights: Once a player leaves the sideline that team receives a forfeit. If the other team also leaves the sideline it’s a double forfeit. Any team that gets into a fight may be kicked out of the league.

6.10- If a team surrounds or threatens a referee just once, that team is out of the league.

6.11- INTENTIONAL MULTIPLE OFF-SIDES PENALTIES: A team that is willing to go off-sides to bring the opposing team down to the 20, so they can no longer do run plays can do so. However, if the clock is not stopped then the offense can, use the game-clock on each play, rather than just walking the ball to the 20 yard line. The clock does not stop on an off-sides penalty inside the two-minute warning.

Furthermore, for every first down that the defense gives the offense while taking an offside with the clock stopped inside of 2 minutes there will be a 30 second game clock run off.

Example: Team A scores and gets into position to tie or win the game with 1:50 seconds left. Team A wishes to put team B on their own 15 yard line into a pass only situation. The new game time will be .50 seconds. Team B 1st & goal pass only. (Team B can take a knee or multiple knees depending on Team A time out situation.