Rules Document as of 11/2011

This is the official rule book for the Thanksfelixbowl II Tournament. All rules not touched on in this rulebook will be judgment calls made by myself and the other captains. If there is something missing or you have any questions please ask as soon as possible.

The Basics 

Two Hand Touch

• To get a player down an opposing player must touch them with two hands simultaneously. If there is controversy over whether or not the defense got the player down, the defense always gets the benefit of the doubt.
• The touching of a shirt or any other article of clothing worn by a player counts as the player themselves in terms of what counts as being touched.
• This is not rough touch, but as long as you are not out of control, there won’t be foul calls.

First Downs

• The only way to get a first down is to advance the ball past the marker at the middle of the field. 
• A team can get only one first down per possession. If a team starts their possession with the ball in front of the halfway point (between the half way point and the opposing team’s endzone) they can not get a first down on that possession, even if they move back behind the line on a play that loses yardage during the possession.

Blitzing

• A blitz is when a defensive player rushes at the QB (crosses the line of scrimmage) before the 7 Mississippi count is up. Even if once the defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage he comes immediately back onto his side of the field without touching any offensive players, the crossing of the line still counts as a blitz.
• Each team has one blitz per four downs. This means if a team picks up a first down, the defense gets a new blitz, but blitz’s not used before the first down do not carry over.
• When a team uses a blitz they may blitz as many players as they wish on that down. 
• If a QB handoffs of the ball or throws a backwards pass behind the line of scrimmage, the defense has free rush and may cross the line of scrimmage without using a blitz.
• The defense may count out loud so the QB can hear for a 7 Mississippi count and if the QB has not thrown the ball before this time is up, the defense may cross the line of scrimmage without using a blitz.
• If the defense crosses the line of scrimmage the QB may also cross the line of scrimmage, however, if the defense has not crossed the line of scrimmage there are no QB sneaks of any kind.
• In any controversy over if someone crossed the line or not the benefit of the doubt goes to the defensive players.
• If a team is down a man, there will be an 8 Mississippi sack rule, after which if the QB has the ball, it is a sack. The sack is made on the word sack which can only be said after the 8 second count (which must be out loud so the opposing team can hear). In a tie/close situation the benefit of the doubt goes to the QB.

Scoring

• The only way to score points is to score a touchdown. There are no field goals.
• There are also no points for safeties (see rule below on safeties)

Winning

• In the original round robin games, games will be played to 3 points, win by 2. 
• If a 3-3 score is reached the game is a tie, unless it is a playoff game, in which case the game goes on until someone is winning by 2 scores.

Timing

Play Clock

• In order to prevent the wasting of time by any team, there will be a 10 second play clock usable by either team. 
• The play clock is used by word of mouth. One player from either side can activate the play clock by counting out loud to 10 Mississippi. 
• If the offense is ready they may call hike/snap the ball whenever they chose, however the defense may stop the play within the first 2-3 seconds or so if they felt they were not ready. Yet, after the offense has counted off the 10 second play clock, they may call hike/snap the ball whenever they chose and the defense may not stop the play.
• If the offense changes quarterbacks they reset the play clock, giving the defense 10 seconds to prepare if they chose to use it.
• From a defensive standpoint, if the defense is ready they may start the play clock and begin counting to 10 Mississippi. If the offense does not snap the ball on or before the 10 Mississippi mark, there is an automatic loss of down penalty given to the offense.
• If the defense begins using the play clock, they have surrendered their right to stop the offense’s play within the first 2-3 seconds because they are indicating they are ready.
• In situations where the offense gets off the play around the time the play clock expires the benefit of the doubt always goes to the offense if the situation was even remotely close.
• The play clock is not designed to issue penalties but instead to make sure the game moves at a reasonable pace and there is no wasted time.

Time Outs

• Two one minute time outs are available per game, in between plays only. Captains in game are responsible for keeping track of their own and opposing team’s time outs.

Handoffs, Centers, and Quarterbacks

Handoffs and Laterals

• If a team has the same number of players or fewer players compared to the opposing team, they may use handoffs. A team may use laterals at any point regardless of the number of players on each team.
• If a QB or other player hands the ball off or passes the ball backwards to another player behind the line of scrimmage this is considered a handoff.
• If a player hands the ball off or passes a ball backwards to another player in front of the line of scrimmage this is considered a lateral.
• If a handoff occurs the player who receives the handoff may throw the ball as if he is a quarterback or run the ball across the line of scrimmage even if not blitzed.
• However, if a handoff occurs the defense may cross the line of scrimmage as if in a blitz situation, without actually using a blitz.
• If a handoff or lateral is not completed successfully the ball is fumbled and any player can recover it without using a blitz (meaning the defense can cross the line of scrimmage on fumbles).

Quarterbacks

• There are certain things that distinguish one player as a quarterback for a team vs. a wide receiver.
• A quarterback for a team is either the player who starts with the ball on the line of scrimmage (he can back up into the shotgun after he indicates he is playing QB) in a standing position, or the first player to touch the ball after the center snaps the ball (see centers and snapping below).
• Only quarterbacks have the protection against free rush before a 7 Mississippi count.
• There are no quarterback sneaks. If a quarterback sneaks inappropriately it will result in either a redo play for a first time offense or a loss of down for a repeat offender.

Centers and Snapping

• If a team is not using a center than their quarterback must have clear control of the ball (only one person can be touching it) and must be in a standing position. 
• They do not have to start on the line of scrimmage but they must be on or behind it. 
• If a team is not using a center then the only word the quarterback can use to start the play is “Hike”. Some variations such as “Go” may be accepted if the defense understands that it has the same meaning. 
• If a team is using a center, that center must indicate that he is the center by being in some type of crouched position with the football touching the ground pre-snap.
• The center may snap the ball to anyone on his team at any time without using any special words like “Hike”. The first player he snaps the ball to is the quarterback. Any other subsequent exchanging of the football behind the line of scrimmage is a handoff and all handoff rules apply.
• If the snap hits the ground before an offensive player touches it, this is a fumble.
• The defense may not touch the snapper, they can, however, blitz as soon as the snapper gets rid of the ball.
• If the defense believes the center was not clear identifying himself as the center before the play or a non-center team did not properly identify their quarterback the defense may stop the play within the first 2-3 seconds regardless of whether or not the play clock expired.

Other Procedural Issues

Starting the Game, Setting Up After Scores

• There are no kick offs at the start of the game or after scores. At the start of the game the team which wins first possession will get the ball approximately one large step from the front of the end zone. 
• After all scores the opposing team will get the ball at this mark.

Safeties

• The only way to register a safety is to tag someone down in the end zone after a handoff, fumbled snap or completed pass.
• A safety is not worth any points. Instead the team that registered the safety gets the ball one step behind the first done marker (therefore they can pick up one first down on their drive).
• A sack occurring in the end zone is the same as a sack on the zero yard line.

Punting

• At any time a team may opt to punt the ball. If a team wishes to punt the ball they must announce that they are punting before the play begins. There are no fake punts.
• If a team is punting they may wait to punt as long as they want and the defense has the same 7 Mississippi count and opportunity to blitz as it would on a normal non-punting down.
• If blitzed the punter may run with football. The punter cannot run across the line of scrimmage and then punt, if they run across the line of scrimmage this becomes a running play.  A punt play can only become a running play if the punter is blitzed by the defense.
• A punt can be performed by either place kicking, punting or throwing the ball.
• Punt returns are legal. Punt returners can fair catch a punt if they wish or they can attempt to catch and return the punt. Once touched the football becomes live, meaning if the punt returner does not catch the punt cleanly it is a fumble and the punt team can recover.

Penalties

• Penalties will be called by the captains for each team only. A player can appeal to a captain if they feel that something inappropriate has occurred but captains will have the final say. 
• If one captain feels there was a penalty and the other does not there will be a re-do down unless one side is unhappy with solution in which case they will talk to the commissioner. He will then make a final ruling on the best solution.
• Here is a list of possible penalties that captains can call and the suggested solution for them. Once again all these calls are judgment calls made by the captains or if necessary the commissioner.
• Unsportsmanlike Conduct/Unnecessary Roughness- A player is acting extremely out of hand on the field and his actions lead to either violent or offensive outbursts. This also includes late hits or tackles that occur because this is a touch football game. A first time offense or slightly too rough push is only cause for a warning. But a serious or repeat offender can be forced to sit out for a certain amount of time or even be ejected from a game or the tournament. The commissioner is the only person who can eject anyone from the tournament.
• Pass Interference- If a player is attempting to make a catch and another player interferes with them while attempting to make said catch before any player has touched the ball this is pass interference. If another player has touched the ball, even tipped it, then players are allowed to touch other players in order to try to prevent them from touching the ball. Offensive pass interference will result in a re-do down for non serious offenses and a loss of down for serious ones. Defensive pass interferences will result in a re-do down for non serious offenses and yardage equal to that which would have been gained by the catch for serious ones.
• Holding- If a player grabs another player’s shirt and pulls at any time in the game this will be considered holding. This will result in a warning for first time offenders and repeat offenders will have to sit out for a certain period of time. 
• Offsides- A player is on the opposing team’s side when the play is started. This will result in merely a warning and a re-do down if necessary.

Home Field

• In the round robin games there is no home field advantage. These games, which set up seeding for the tournament, set up who will have home field advantage in the playoffs. The higher seed has home field advantage.
• If a team has home field advantage they get ball first and chose the direction they would like to go. In other situations this will be settled by a rock, paper, scissor match between the captains (best of 1).

One foot in bounds is all that is needed for a catch.

If a player is on the ground he is not automatically down like in college, he must be touched down like the NFL.