University of South Carolina Homecoming 2014
Official Powderpuff Rules
1. General Rules:
a. Teams will consist of 11 – 22 players.
b. In addition to the 11-22 players, each team will also have at least three cheerleaders and three coaches.
c. Team players must be women, while the cheerleaders must be men. Coaches can either be men, women, or a combination of both. Each participant’s self-identified gender will be recognized in building teams for the event.
d. Flags must be worn on each side of the players' hips.
e. Captains and head coaches meet for the coin toss. The winner of the coin toss may choose to go on offense or defense. The winner also chooses which end zone to defend. The deferring team gets the ball in the second half. Should the winner of the coin toss choose offense or defense, the team that starts the game on defense will start the second half on offense and vice versa.
f. The offensive team takes possession at its 20-yard line and has four plays to cross twenty yards for a first down. On fourth downs, the offense must state to the opposing defense if they will continue to go for the first down marker or if they will punt the ball. The offense then must do as they declared.
g. To punt the ball, both teams must remain stationary on the line of scrimmage until after the ball is punted. Only one player on the receiving team can be back to field the punt. The receiving team may advance the ball if the player catches the ball cleanly, without the ball hitting the ground. If the ball hits the ground, it is dead at that spot.
h. If the offensive team fails to get a first down, the opposing team takes possession at that spot.
i. Blocking is allowed anywhere on the field of play. Players blocking must have their hands within the opponent’s shoulders and CAN NOT FULLY extend their arms (as in the case to push the opponent off her feet). Blocking an opponent with her back towards the player making a block IS NOT ALLOWED.
j. Players must wear shoes. Cleats are allowed, however cleats with exposed metal are not allowed.
k. Players may tape their forearms, hands and fingers. Players may wear gloves, elbow pads, and kneepads. Braces with exposed metals are not allowed.
l. Players must remove all watches, earrings and any other jewelry that the officials deem hazardous.
m. All offensive players must have both of their flags on while the ball is in play. If a player does not have both of their flags on or one of the flags fall off while the ball is in play, opposing players just have to touch that player if she is in possession of the ball.
2. Game Clock:
a. Games consist of two 10-minute halves. Halftime is 5-minutes. Teams change ends of the field during halftime.
b. Games are timed with a running clock.
c. If teams are at or within an 8-point difference at the 2 minute warning of first and second halves, the clock stops when there is an incomplete pass, a penalty, change of possession, or when a ball-carrier runs out of bounds.
d. Teams have two 60-second time outs per half that do not carry over from the first half to the second half.
e. Offenses have 30 seconds to snap the ball once the ball is spotted by referees. The offense may snap the ball at any time after the Line Judge has spotted the ball, whether the defense is ready or not. The referee will warn the offense when there are 10 seconds left before the snap count runs out.
f. Officials can stop the clock at their discretion for an injury, pet on the field, etc.
3. Game Rules:
a. When the Ball Goes Dead:
i. Substitutions may be made on any dead ball.
ii. Play is ruled "dead" when:
1. The ball touches the ground.
2. Ball carrier's flag is pulled.
3. Ball carrier steps out of bounds.
4. Ball carrier's knee, elbow, hip or backside touches the ground.
5. When a touchdown or extra point is made.
b. Spotting the Ball Before Each Play:
i. The ball is spotted wherever the ball is when the person in possession’s flag is pulled off.
ii. If a ball carrier's flag falls out while running, any defensive player just has to touch the ball carrier, and the play will be dead at the spot of the ball.
iii. The play is ruled dead when the ball makes contact with the ground. In the case of a fumble or muffed snap, the ball is spotted at the spot where it touches the ground.
c. Hiking the Ball:
i. The ball may be snapped sideways or in between the legs.
ii. The ball can be hiked from the center to any offensive player.
iii. The ball must be snapped from the spot where the referee places it.
iv. Any number of offensive players may shift prior to the snap but only one player on offense is allowed in motion when the ball is being snapped. The player in motion must be moving parallel to the line of scrimmage or in a backward direction. All other players on offense must be set prior to the snap.
d. Running the Ball:
i. Any player receiving a hand-off or a pitch behind the line of scrimmage is eligible to run the ball.
1. Note: A hand-off is a direct exchange of the football from one player to another.
2. Note: When two or more hand-offs are performed in quick succession, in every case, the player handing the ball off must completely release the ball. Having a player simply touch the ball while it is in possession of another player does not constitute a hand-off.
ii. The player receiving the snap is eligible to run.
e. Passing the Ball:
i. A forward pass can be thrown to a receiver behind the line of scrimmage. A forward pass is any ball thrown to a player standing in front of the player throwing.
ii. Once a legal forward pass is completed, pitches or handoffs are allowed if to a receiving player that is behind the player making the exchange.
iii. Shovel passes are allowed and subject to all the rules pertaining to forward passes.
iv. Double passes are allowed only if the second pass is initiated behind the line of scrimmage. If any pass is made in front of the line of scrimmage a penalty of 10 yards will result and the down will be replayed again.
v. Interceptions may be advanced including those made during extra point attempts and during overtime.
f. Receiving the Ball:
i. All players are eligible to receive forward passes or pitches.
ii. A player must have at least one foot inbounds when making a reception.
iii. An offensive player who voluntarily runs out of bounds during live action may not return to the field until the ball is dead.
iv. An offensive player who is forced out of bounds during live action by contact with a defender may return to the field of play during live action without penalty.
v. If a defensive player pulls a receivers’ flag prior to catching a pitch or forward pass, the defense will be flagged for Illegal Flag Pull, but the play will not be dead. If the receiver catches the pass or pitch, the play will remain live until the receiver is touched by a defensive player.
vi. When a pass is thrown, any player from either team has a right to catch the ball. If in the attempt to catch the ball, a player hinders an opposing player by physical contact (pushing, shoving, slapping, etc.), pass interference will result. Referees will determine incidental contact that is a normal part of flag football.
vii. If a ball is simultaneously caught by two opposing players, possession will be awarded to the offense with the ball being dead at the spot.
viii. Receivers lined up outside the lineman CAN NOT be touched within the first five yards from the line of scrimmage.
g. Rushing the Quarterback:
i. All players who rush the passer must be a minimum of 1 yard from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.
ii. The rusher is allowed a direct line to the quarterback as long as she does NOT go through a player. (NO BULL RUSHING: Going through a player forcefully to get to the quarterback).
iii. No rusher is allowed to line up right over the center. They may line up in either gap between the center but CANNOT be right in front of the center.
iv. Rushers may use hands to move around their opponent but CANNOT use their hands anywhere above the neck.
v. Any number of players can rush the quarterback.
vi. Rushers may jump to block a pass but may not make contact with the QB’s arm.
vii. If a rusher leaves the rush line prior to the snap, she may return to the rush line, reset and then legally rush the quarterback if the ball HAS NOT been put into live play.
4. Scoring:
a. Touchdowns are worth 6 points.
b. Extra Points are worth:
i. 1 point from 3-yard line.
ii. 2 points from 7-yard line.
iii. 3 points from 12-yard line.
c. A safety is worth 2 points.
d. The defense may return an interception including extra point attempts during regulation and overtime. An interception returned for a score on an Extra Point attempt is only worth the points designated by where the offense chose for the Extra Point.
5. Overtime:
a. If the score is tied at the end of regulation, teams move into overtime.
b. Overtime is a one-point or two-point conversion competition for the first two possessions. Both teams will take turns attempting one or two-point conversions for the first two attempts, unless a winner is determined.
c. Captains will meet at midfield for a coin toss. Winner can choose whether to go on offense or defense first. Loser can choose the end of the field on which play will occur during the entire overtime period.
d. If the score remains tied after the first overtime period, the team that lost the overtime coin toss has the choice of offense or defense at the start of the second overtime. The choice of possession will alternate in each subsequent overtime period.
e. During overtime, an interception may be returned.
f. All applicable regulation period rules and penalties are in effect. There are no timeouts in overtime.
6. Rule Violations:
a. All penalties will be assessed at the end of the play.
b. Diving or leaping to advance the ball is not allowed. If a player dives or leaps, the ball will be marked where the player left her feet.
c. Any player that comes onto the field from out of bounds after the play has begun will be penalized for Illegal Participation.
d. Referees will determine incidental contact that results from normal play.
e. The head coach may ask the referee for a rules clarification or interpretation, but the request must come immediately after the play in question. Any stoppage of play by a coach to question a call or rule pertaining to a play other than the one just played will result in a delay of game penalty.
f. All judgment calls made by referees are final.
g. Penalties may be declined.
h. In the case of offensive and defensive penalties occurring on the same play, the down will be replayed unless one of the infractions was a personal foul. In that case, the personal foul would take precedence over the non-personal foul.
i. Games cannot end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it.
j. If team calls a timeout when it has none left, the official will acknowledge the timeout request but a penalty will be assessed. For the losing team, the penalty is 5 yards and 15 seconds run off the clock. If the game clock has less than 15 seconds when such a timeout is called, the game clock will expire and will result in either halftime or game over.
k. The ball may not be stripped from runner.
7. General Penalties:
a. Personal Fouls = either loss of down (offensive) or automatic first down (defensive).
b. Roughing/Unsportsmanlike conduct = 10 yards from end of play.
c. Delay of game = 5 yards from the original line of scrimmage.
d. Too many players on the field = 5 yards from line of scrimmage.
e. Illegal pitch = 5 yards from point of infraction.
f. Offensive Penalties:
i. Illegal Hike/Illegal Motion/False Start = 5 yards from the original line of scrimmage.
ii. Offensive Pass Interference = 10 yards from the original line of scrimmage.
iii. Illegal Hands to the Face = 10 yards at spot of the foul. In case of illegal hands to the face in the end zone, results in a loss of down.
iv. Illegal Blocking = 10 yards from the original line of scrimmage.
v. Flag Guarding = 10 yards from spot of foul.
vi. Center Sneak = 5 yards from the original line of scrimmage.
vii. Illegal participation = 5 yard from the original line of scrimmage.
g. Defensive Penalties:
i. Offside/Illegal Rush = 5 yards at the end of the play.
ii. Pass Interference = Ball placed at spot of the foul. In the case of pass interference in the end zone, the ball will be spotted half the distance to the goal line.
iii. Illegal Hands to the Face = 10 yards at spot of the foul. In the case of illegal hands to the face in the end zone, the ball will be spotted half the distance to the goal line.
iv. Holding/Illegal Contact/Illegal Flag Pull = 10 yards from the original line of scrimmage.
v. Holding an offensive player with the ball = 10 yards from the spot of the foul.
vi. Roughing the passer = 10 yards from end of play and automatic first down.
vii. Illegal participation = 5 yard from the original line of scrimmage and automatic first
down.
viii. Illegal Contact/Bumping Receivers = 10 yards from the end of the play.