RULES & SCORING
All players must wear helmets and mouth pieces.
- Games are 21:00 long. The clock runs continuous during the 1st 20 minutes & stops according to rules during the final 1:00. There is no overtime in pool play.
- 7 defenders (may not line up 8 & drop one before snap) and 6 offensive players (must use QB snap tee provided).
- Each possession starts on the 40-yard line – going in.
- First downs are made by crossing the 25-yard line and the 10-yard line.
- Three downs to make a first down; even inside the 10-yard line.
- NO PAT IN POOL PLAY – In tournament play you can take 7 points for a TD or take 6 points and go for 2 points.
- For 2 point conversions, snaps are at the 5-yard line, offensive choice of hash. No 2 point conversions allowed in pool play. 2 point conversions will be from 10-yard line with choice of hash in tournament play (if chosen).
- Offense is allowed 4.0 seconds to get pass off. It will be a loss of down and treated as a sack if not thrown in time (4.01 or greater). The clock will be stopped on a sack in the final 1:00 of the game.
NOTE: Passes may be thrown behind the line of scrimmage but receiver must advance beyond L.O.S. or play will be treated as a sack. - Four (4) second clock starts on snap of ball.
- Possession changes after PAT attempt, failure to make a
- All offensive formations must be legal sets.
- Twenty-five seconds to get the play off.
- One-hand touch anywhere.
- No double passes or shuffle passes.
- Defenses are allowed one blitz per game
- One coach on the field, coach from the sidelines.
Overtime (tournament only):
Consists of 3 plays from 10 yard line. Each team has an attempt to score in each overtime period. Starting with the 3rd and subsequent overtimes, all PAT’s must be 2 point attempts from the 10 yard line. Overtime periods are not timed.
Mercy Rule:
If the margin of score between the two teams is 21 points or greater at the end of the 1st 20 minutes, the clock will continue to run continuously for the remainder of the game; regardless if the margin of score becomes less than 21 points.
Scoring:
- Touchdown – 7 points
- Interception – 3 points (no points for INT on PAT)
- Interception – for touchdown 7points.
- Turnover on downs – 2 points
- May opt for 2 in OT for PAT (only in tournament play)
Penalties:
- Defense pass interference = Automatic first down and 5 yards from original line of scrimmage.
- Offense pass interference = Previous spot and loss of down.
- Defensive holding = Automatic first down and 5 yards from original line of scrimmage. In the event there is defensive holding and a sack on the same play, the defense will be penalized according to the above and the sack will be ignored.
- Illegal procedure (offense) = Loss of down.
- Defensive off-sides = 5 yard penalty.
- Delay of game = Loss of down and clock stops in final 1:00.
- Fighting / unsportsmanlike conduct: 1st offense = ejection from game. 2nd offense = ejection from tournament.
- Fighting / unsportsmanlike conduct (team): if any player leaves the sideline to participate in an on-field fight, the
- ENTIRE TEAM WILL BE EJECTED FROM THE TOURNAMENT.
Personal Foul Penalties:
- Offense = loss of down and 5 yards from original line of scrimmage.
- Defense = 1st down and 5 yards from original line of scrimmage.
Seeding, Tournament, and Tie-breakers:
- Teams will be broken into pools with equal number of teams.
- Teams will be seeded for the tournament according to overall records from pool play.
- Records which are tied after pool play will be broken as follows:
- Head – to – Head
- Fewest points allowed.
- Most points scored.
- Flip of coin.
Event preparation:
- Team are allowed to have more than 10 players but we will be strict on proper ages for the right age divisions.
- Participating schools in states where applicable by state association rules and for the purpose of player safety may be allowed to conduct practice sessions leading up to USA Football 7on7 events.
- Where allowed to do so by state association rules, these practices may be conducted in helmets only.
- Teams are not allowed to scrimmage as part of this preparation.