3 ON 3 FLAG FOOTBALL RULES

3 ON 3 FLAG FOOTBALL RULES Participation in the University of Tennessee Recreational Sports Programs is voluntary and individuals use facilities at their own risk. Participation in any physical activity involves inherent risk and even when safety precautions are utilized, injuries and accidents can occur. The Recreational Sports Department would like to encourage each individual to consult their physician and obtain adequate personal health/accident insurance prior to participation in our programs. The University of Tennessee does not provide personal health or medical insurance coverage for participants. Any rule not specifically covered will be governed in accordance with the 11-12 National Intramural Recreational Sports Associations Flag Football Rule Book. RULE 1: PLAYER ELIGIBILITY 1. Participation is limited to currently enrolled, fee-paying University of Tennessee students and faculty/staff members with Recreational Sports Memberships. 2. Participants must present their VolCard or current Recreational Sports Membership Card in order to participate. 3. Players can compete for only one single sex team and one coed team, regardless of league classification (e.g. - participants cannot play for a men s recreational team and a men s competitive team). 4. All participants must meet the eligibility requirements as stated in the Intramural Sports Participant Handbook. 5. Once a participant has signed in for a team, he/she may not transfer to another team. RULE 2: TEAM COMPOSITION 1. TEAMS: Each team will consist of 3 players on the field at one time. A minimum of 2 players are required to start the game. 2. CAPTAIN: Each team shall designate a team captain to make all decisions. 3. PARTICIPANTS: Team representatives including players, coaches, spectators, and other persons affiliated with the team are subject to these sport rules and all intramural policies. 4. VARSITY & EX-VARSITY ATHLETES: A varsity or ex-varsity athlete is not eligible to participate in their sport or related sport within the same academic year (August to May) in which they played or practiced with the varsity team. A maximum of 3 varsity or ex- 1

varsity athletes may compete for one team in a non-related sport. See the Intramural Sports Participant Handbook for specifications. RULE 3: FORFEITS, DEFAULTS, AND PROTESTS 1. FORFEITS: If a team fails to appear for a scheduled game or match by game time, or following the grace periods, a forfeit will be declared. If a team forfeits a contest, the captain s student account will be charged a $ forfeit fee, the team will be ineligible for postseason competition, and the team may be dropped from the league if there is a wait list team to replace them. A team with two forfeits will be automatically dropped from the league. 2. DEFAULTS: If a team notifies the intramural office of their inability to field the required number of participants for their game, no later than 2:00PM on the day of the contest, it will be marked as a default. If a team has one less than the minimum number of participants required to play signed in at game time or during the grace period, an on-site default will be declared. A default/on-site default is an un-played game that is recorded as a loss with a sportsmanship rating of a 3 for the defaulting team. Once the default has been requested, it cannot be overturned. No forfeit fine is charged to the defaulting team. 3. GRACE PERIOD: Teams will be granted a 5 minute grace period from the original game time if at least 1 player has checked in at game time. If the minimum number of players required to start the game are signed in before the grace period has concluded, the game will begin and the opposing team will get the choice of first possession. If no players are signed in at game time, there is no grace period and the game will be declared a forfeit. 4. PROTESTS: If a team wants to submit a protest, the team captain must stop play immediately and notify the games officials and intramural sports manager. The intramural sports manager will document the appeal and forward it to the intramural sports Graduate Assistants or Coordinator if they cannot settle the protest on site. Teams cannot protest an official s judgment. 2

TRECS RULE 4: PLAYING AREA AND EQUIPMENT 1. PLAYING AREA: Games will be played on the Recreational Sports turf fields located next to the Tennessee Recreation Center for Students (TRECS). Scoreboard #1 Scoreboard #2 Scoreboard #3 Endzone Endzone Endzone 40 40 Endzone Endzone Endzone 2. FOOTBALL: Teams may furnish their own game ball or check-out a game ball at the Welcome Desk in the TRECS. The game ball must be pebble-grained leather or rubbercovered and meet the recommendations of size and shape for a regulation football. There are no requirements regarding ball pressure or markings. Men shall use the regular size ball only. The officials shall be the sole judge of any ball offered for play and may change the ball during play at their discretion. 3. FLAG BELTS: Each player must wear a one piece, quick release belt, without any knots, at the waistline with three flags permanently attached, one flag on each side and one in the center of the back. Flag belts will be provided to each team on site by the Intramural Sports Program. 4. JERSEYS/SHIRTS: Teams are encouraged to furnish their own matching jerseys. Jerseys must be tucked in at all times. If a jersey cannot be tucked in, it must be a minimum of 4 inches above the waist. Jerseys may not have arm openings that are larger than 4 inches. Referees will use their fist to measure the distance of the arm opening. Pinnies will be provided for teams without matching jerseys by the Intramural Sports Program. 5. SHORTS/PANTS: Players may not wear pants or shorts that have belt loops, pockets, or exposed drawstrings. Pants and shorts may not be turned inside out or taped in order to avoid the pocket violation. 6. SHOES: All players must wear shoes. Tennis/running shoes and rubber molded cleats are permitted. Spikes, screw in cleats, and cleats with metal or ceramic exposed are prohibited. Boots and sandals are also prohibited. 3

7. PADS/BRACES: No pads or braces may be worn above the waist. Leg and knee braces made of hard material must be covered on both sides and all edges with appropriate slow-recovery padding. 8. HEADWEAR: Players may not wear baseball style caps, bandanas with knots, or other rigid headwear. Knit and stocking caps are permitted. Players may wear a headband no wider than two inches and made of non-abrasive cloth, elastic, fiber, soft leather, or rubber. Rubber or cloth elastic bands may be used to control hair. 9. JEWELRY: No jewelry may be worn. Jewelry must be removed before the participant will be allowed to participate. Medical alert bracelets are permitted but they must be taped down. Taping of all other jewelry is not permitted. 10. SUNGLASSES: Players may not wear sunglasses that are metal or rigid. 11. PLAYBOOKS: Players may carry a playbook inside their clothing as long as it is not made of a rigid material. If carried on the field, a player must secure the playbook in his/her shorts rather than throw it on the ground in the field of play. 12. TOWELS: No towel may hang from a player s waist or otherwise interfere with the removal of the flag belt. However, towels may be used and kept on the ground inbetween the ball spotters before the snap. 13. BLOOD RULE: When a player is bleeding, has an open wound, or an excessive amount of blood on his/her uniform the player will be directed to leave the game. The injured player is not to return until the bleeding has stopped, the wound is covered, and the bloody uniform is changed. 14. The Intramural Sports Staff has the right to deem certain equipment unsafe or illegal. RULE 5: TIMING 1. LENGTH OF GAME: Each team will receive 3 possessions/series per game. 2. COIN TOSS: A toss of a coin or odds/evens will determine which team shall have the first possession. 3. SERIES OF DOWNS: Each team has 4 plays, starting from the -yard line to score a touchdown before a change of possession occurs. 6. OVERTIME: In the event of a tie, each team will get another possession to determine the winner. The possession will be 1 down from the 10 yard line. A winner will be decided if one team is leading after an equal number of possessions. 4

7. TIME-OUTS: There are no timeouts. 8. MERCY RULE: There is no mercy rule. RULE 6: PLAYING THE GAME 1. PLAY CLOCK: The offensive team has 25 seconds to put the ball in play after the referee signals ready for play and blows his or her whistle. 2. BALL RESPONSIBILITY: The offensive team must retrieve the ball after each play from the line of scrimmage. 3. MINIMUM LINE PLAYERS: There is no minimum number of players required to be on the line of scrimmage. 4. ADVANCING THE BALL: Only a legal forward pass behind the offensive line of scrimmage may advance the ball (Penalty: Illegal Advancement). 5. DEFENSIVE RUSH: The defense is not allowed to rush until the official has counted to 3 seconds. 6. SNAPPER: The defensive rusher acts as the offensive snapper for the quarterback. 2 consecutive bad snaps whistled by the official gives the offensive team 1 new down. 7. TOUCHDOWNS: A touchdown shall count for 6 points. 8. POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN: After a touchdown, the scoring team shall attempt a Point After Touchdown (PAT). Once the decision is announced, it can only be changed by taking a charged timeout. The options for the try are: a. 1 point from the 3-yard line b. 2 points from the 10-yard line c. 3 points from the -yard line 9. INTERCEPTIONS: All interceptions are a dead ball and end the offensive possession. 10. PENALITIES: All penalties are 5 yards and replay the down except: a. Offensive pass interference loss of down b. Illegal forward pass loss of down c. Intentional grounding loss of down d. Roughing the passer automatic first down e. Defensive pass interference - The ball will be placed at the spot of the foul and an automatic first down will be awarded. If the interference occurs in the end zone, the 5

ball will be placed at the 3-yard line and the offense will be awarded an automatic first down. RULE 7: SPORTSMANSHIP 1. RATING: Each team will begin the contest with a 5 sportsmanship rating and shall be rated by the officials at the end of the contest. The authority of the officials ratings exists prior to, during, and following all contests to which that official is assigned, and extends to all persons on, at, or near the playing site. Sportsmanship ratings shall be marked on the score sheet prior to captain signing off on the score and sportsmanship rating. a. 5 Excellent Sportsmanship: Players cooperate fully with the intramural sports staff and opposing team members. If necessary, the captain converses calmly with officials about rule interpretations and calls. b. 4 - Good Sportsmanship: Team members verbally complain about some decisions made by the intramural sports staff and/or show minor dissent which may or may not merit a conduct warning (unsportsmanlike penalty / technical foul / yellow cards / etc.). Teams that receive one conduct warning will receive no higher than a "4" rating. c. 3 - Mediocre Sportsmanship: Team constantly comments to the intramural sports staff or the opposing team. The team captain exhibits little or no control over teammates or him/herself. Teams that receive one ejection or two conduct warnings (unsportsmanlike penalty / technical foul / yellow cards / etc.) will receive no higher than a 3 rating. d. 2 - Below Average Sportsmanship: Team constantly comments to the intramural sports staff or the opposing team. The team captain exhibits little or no control over teammates or him/herself. Teams that receive one ejection and one conduct warning or a combination of three conduct warnings (unsportsmanlike penalty / technical foul / yellow cards / etc.) will receive no higher than a "2" rating and the game will be forfeited. e. 1 - Unacceptable Sportsmanship: Team is completely uncooperative. Captain has no control over teammates and/or him/herself. Any team that receives two ejections or four conduct warnings (unsportsmanlike penalty / technical foul / yellow cards / etc.) will receive a "1" rating and the game and season will be forfeited. 6