USIAA Indoor/Arena/8-Man Flag Football Rules
The Field:
- The field is 85 feet (26m) wide and 200 feet (61m) long; End zones = 5-8yds (4.6-7.4m) and must either be straight or be curved.
- The goalpost uprights are 10 feet (2.7m) wide, and the crossbar is 10 feet above the playing surface; No goalposts for women.
- Sideline barriers are 4 feet (1.2m) high and made of high density foam rubber.
- All programs may also play their games outside; if this is the case then they will not have any sideline barriers.
- All programs can only be a non-scholarship program.
- Any full-time undergraduate student or graduate student of the respective league institution is permitted to play. Students must meet USIAA eligibility as it pertains to normal progress.
- All programs can recruit both Varsity and JV athletes out of high school from anywhere within 700 miles of the program.
- 8 players on the field; 20-man active roster; 6-man inactive roster.
- The limits for the preseason tryouts and fall practices only is raised to 195 total players.
- The equipment & pads are the same ones used in outdoor football for both genders.
- Example Positions: C/NT, OG/DE, QB/LB, QB/S, WR/CB, FB/LB, WR/S, WR/LB.
- Each team may have 1 coach on the field during play; the offensive and defensive coordinators usually take turns during possessions.
- Alignment is 1 yard off the line of scrimmage.
- Offensive players must start in a standard 8-man football formation, but may move freely with some restrictions once the ball is snapped:
a) The acceptable formations are the I, the Pro Set, the Wishbone, the Pistol, and the Goal Line formation.
b) Three (3) offensive linemen must line up in a three- or four-point stance prior to the snap on the line of scrimmage.
c) Offensive motion in the backfield = Only 2 receivers may go in a forward motion before the snap.
d) Restrictions for motion receivers = a) cannot begin motion until entire team is set for one second (illegal shift), b) cannot be in motion through or stationary within the offensive box at the snap (illegal motion), and c) cannot perform a “stop-motion” move; (illegal motion); - Defensive players must start in a standard 8-man football formation, but may move freely with some restrictions once the ball is snapped:
a) The acceptable formations are the 3-2-3, 3-3-2 (with the safety becoming a linebacker), 3-4-1 (with the cornerbacks becoming linebackers), and a 6-2 goal-line formation.
b) There must be three (3) defensive linemen, and they must line up on the nose, or can line up inside foot-to-outside foot outside of an offensive lineman. Linemen must rush inside if nose up or slanted into if shaded, and they must make contact before any movement to the outside is made.
c) At least two (2) defensive players must line up at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The linebackers must either line up face-to-face with an offensive non-lineman on the line, or be five yards behind the line of scrimmage. After the snap, this rule is eliminated and the players can roam anywhere they wish, provided it doesn't violate blitzing rules. Linebackers can line up at the goal line if the offense is within five yards of scoring.
d) Only 1 non-lineman player can blitz at a time. This player can blitz from any direction, but must be at least 5 yards off the line of scrimmage/goal line prior to the snap. Players do not have to announce their eligibility to blitz. Defensive Backs are not allowed to blitz.
- All players are required to play on both offense and defense except for the Kicker.
- Coaches are allowed unlimited substitutions; from the moment a player leaves, the player is considered "dead" and cannot return to play until either 1) the designated time is served or 2) the substitute player is injured.
- "Dead" time is 4 total possessions (2 offensive & 2 defensive or 16 total plays); Exception = a "dead" player may participate on kickoffs, or as long snapper or holder.
- The official football is the same size and weight as the NCAA ball.
- Four (4) downs are allowed to advance the ball ten (10) yards for a first down or to score.
- On 4th down, all teams must either attempt to gain the first down or score.
- A player is not counted as out of bounds on the sidelines unless he is pushed into or falls over the sideline barrier.
- Receivers must have one foot inbounds.
- Each possession must consist of two running and two passing plays (Women only).
- All possessions will start on the 15yd line or where the ball-carrier was tackled on 4th down if the offense didn't gain a first down (Women Only).
- Any head down or helmet-to-helmet hit gives a 15yd penalty against the offending team, the second offense gets the player charged with the penalty suspended for the rest of the game.
- Kickoffs are from the goal line; Kickers may use a one-inch tee.
- All kicks must be made by either place kick or drop kick; punting is prohibited.
- No Yards Rule = The receiving team must field any kick that lands in the field of play with no exceptions while kick coverage teams must give a 5 yard empty zone around the opposing receiver until he has received the ball (i.e. no "fair catch")
- Any kickoff untouched which is out of bounds or hitting an overhead structure (i.e. scoreboard) will be placed at the 15-yard line; The touchback is automatic.
- If a kickoff goes beyond the end zone (such as kicking it into the field goal posts), the ball will come out to the 10-yard line; The touchback is automatic.
- Scoring system = 6 points for a touchdown, 1 for a kicked convert, 2 for a kicked convert (drop kick) or passed/rushed convert (2yds), 3 for a passed or rushed convert (5yds), 3 for a field goal, 4 for a field goal (drop kick), 2 for a safety touch, 1 for a rouge.
- A rouge (also called a single) is awarded to a kicking team (Team A) if an opposing player (Team B):
a) catches or recovers a kickoff or a missed field goal in his own end zone but is prevented by Team A from returning the ball back out onto the field of play, or
b) elects to drop to one knee while still in the end zone before having returned the ball to the field of play, or
c) elects to run with the ball from the end zone out of bounds (i.e. into the boards) rather than enter the field of play. - A rouge is awarded to a kicking team (Team A) if:
a) the ball goes through the uprights during a kickoff; in that case, the ball is called as a touchback with the ball placed on the 10yd line. - A rouge is also awarded to a team on defense (Team A) if they:
a) force an interception, or
b) recover a fumble, or
c) blocks a field goal - On a field goal attempt, the defending team may return a missed field goal to the kicking team's end zone for a Touchdown.
- On a convert attempt after a touchdown, the defending team may return a missed kick convert to the kicking team's end zone for 1 point, or if the convert was a rush or pass play may return a fumble or interception for 2 points.
- Four 10-minute quarters and a 10-Minute halftime.
- There is a 2-min break in between the 1st/2nd & 3rd/4th quarters.
- The Play Clock is 25 seconds.
- The clock stops for out-of bounds plays or incomplete passes only in the last two minutes of the second half or overtime or when the referee deems it necessary for penalties, injuries or timeouts.
- Each team is allowed three (3) timeouts per half.
- In the last two minutes of the game, the clock stops if the team with the lead has the ball and fails to advance the ball past the line of scrimmage.
- A coin toss at the start of overtime determines the team that first receives possession in overtime, and which end zone will be used.
- Each team in turn receives one possession starting with first-and-10 at the defense's 20-yard line.
- The game clock does not run, but the play clock is enforced.
- At all levels, possessions end when the offensive team scores, misses a field goal, or turns the ball over. A convert kick is not allowed in overtime—all conversion attempts must be scrimmage plays (i.e., two-point attempts).
- The defensive team to score after gaining possession on a turnover can advance the ball upon gaining possession; if it scores a touchdown, it will satisfy the condition of each team having a chance to score and thus end the game.
- Each team has 1 timeout per overtime period.
- If the score remains tied at the end of an overtime procedure, another procedure follows (except as noted below), with the team that had the second possession in the previous procedure having the first possession of the next procedure.
- In regular season games, the USIAA allows a maximum of two procedures, with the game declared a tie if it remains level. In postseason games, procedures continue until a winner is decided.
- 4 points for a win.
- 2 points for a draw.
- 1 "bonus" point for scoring at least 4 touchdowns.
- 1 "bonus" point for winning while scoring at least 3 more touchdowns than the opponent.
- 1 "bonus" point for losing by 8 points or less.
- 1 "bonus" point for losing in overtime.
- Fall Training for all programs begins on the first week of September and lasts for the entire month.
- The pre-season for all programs begins during the second week of classes during the spring semester.
- The D1/D2 regular season starts during the second Saturday of February and runs weekly to the third Saturday of April.
- The D1/D2 regular season is a 10-week schedule during which each team plays 10 games (5h/5a) and no bye weeks.
- The D3/D4 regular season starts during the second Saturday of February and runs weekly to the first Saturday of April.
- The D3/D4 regular season is a 8-week schedule during which each team plays 8games (4h/4a) and no bye weeks.
- All programs are required to play at least 6 in-conference games, with 3 home and 3 away games.
- All 2-4 non-conference games are only allowed for teams that are within 700 miles away from the program in question.
- All tournament games must be played on either Thursday or Saturday.