FHS7v7A Official Rules of 7 v 7 Football Competition

1.  Field Dimensions/Specs

1. 40 yards in length-40, 25 & 10 are the first down lines.
2. 160’ in width
3. 10 yards deep in the end zone
4. Field hash marks are of high school dimensions

2.   Team Members

1.  Players

1.  There is no maximum player limit for state series play.  During the regular season there is no limit on players that can register with a team and participate for a team as a member of their roster.  Players will not be accepted into the event as individuals.  All players must be part of a registered team.
2. Teams are required to utilize an offensive center.  A coach, backup player, can serve as the center.  If it is a coach, it counts as the 1 coach in the offensive huddle.

1. If utilizing one, the offensive center is not an eligible receiver.
2. The center will be responsible for setting or re-positioning the football at the line of scrimmage. 

1.  Coaches

1.  Defensive coaches will be allowed only on the sidelines during games. 
2. One offensive coach may be in the huddle with players between plays but when the huddle breaks the coach must move outside the hash on the side of his team bench so as not to interfere with the operation of the official or game play unless he is the center.
3. Teams that run a 3-4 defense (4 linebackers and 4 defensive backs), one linebacker must take a knee when the play is snapped.  If they fail to do so, the defense will be assessed a 5 yard delay of game penalty.

3.  Officials

1. Each game will have at least two officials.  Each game needs to have a scorekeeper/timekeeper which will be one of the two officials.
2. The scorekeeper/timekeeper will announce the time remaining at the 10, 5, 2, and 1-minute mark.
3. The scorekeeper will announce score before each offensive possession begins.
4. Field Manager-Event must have one to keep official game score results, and assist with crowd, player, coach, and referee control on/around the game fields.

4.  Game Times

1. Teams must be onsite and ready to start on time unless the cause of their lateness is because they are finishing up a prior game on another field.  If a team is late or cannot start on time, the game clock will begin and whatever time is left on the clock will be where the game starts.  The team that is late will begin on defense.  If a team is late by more than 5 minutes, the other team will be awarded 7 points.  If a team is late by 10 minutes or more they will forfeit the game.
2. Twenty (20) minute running clock with the last 2 minutes played as regulation football game with clock stoppages as regulation NFHS football game.  During the last two minutes, all completions must be advanced past the line of scrimmage, otherwise the clock will stop.  Sacks in the last two minutes stop the clock as well.
3. 1 timeout per team-(30 Seconds)  Injuries will cause the clock to stop as safety dictates.
4. Overtime:  There is no overtime in POOL Play.  If overtime is required in single elimination play, teams will alternate three (3) plays from the 10 yard line.  A coin flip or similar contest will determine which team gets possession first.  Each team has an attempt to score in each overtime period.  Starting with the 2nd and subsequent overtimes, all PAT’s must be 2 point attempts from the 10 yard line.  Overtime periods are not timed.  Each team is awarded one timeout during overtime period.

5.  Scoring

1. Six (6) points for a touchdown
2. One (1) point for a PAT from the 3 yard line
3. Two (2) points for a PAT from the 10 yard line
4. Three (3) points for an interception
5. Two (2) points for a safety.  A safety can ONLY be scored when a pass is thrown behind the LOS at the 40 yard line and the ballcarrier fails to cross the 40 yard line.
6. Turnover on a PAT is dead ball
7. Official scores will be kept by field referee and sideline scorekeeper

6.   Penalties

1. Offense

1.  False Start/Illegal Procedure= 5 yard penalty.  If penalty occurs when ball is spotted on 40 yard line, penalty results in loss of down.
2. Delay of Game= Loss of Down.

1. Each team will have 25 seconds to snap the ball once it has been marked ready for play; delay of game penalty will be assessed.

1. Pass Interference=15 yard penalty and down replayed.  If assessment of penalty would result in offense moving behind 40 yard line then penalty will be assessed half the distance to the 40 yard line and loss of down.
2. No penalty may be assessed in excess of the 40 yard line.  If a penalty would move the offense beyond the 40 yard line, the offense will be moved half the distance to the 40 and charged with a loss of down.
3. If the timekeeper sees that the clock has exceeded 4.0 seconds, the play is blown dead.   The ball should be returned to the original line of scrimmage with loss of down.  If the QB proceeds to throw the ball after the play has been blown dead, a penalty for offensive delay of game will be assessed.
4. Offensive team is responsible for retrieving and returning the ball to the previous spot or the new scrimmage spot.  Clock does not stop and any delay by offense in retrieving and returning ball to referee will result in a delay of game and will be a 5-yard penalty from the succeeding spot.
5. If defensive holding occurs on the same play as a sack, the defense will be penalized and the sack is void.
6. Any dead ball penalty on the offense after a change of possession would result in a 15 yard penalty for that team’s defense when they begin their ensuing possession.  (ex. Penalty occurs on point after try.)
7. Dead Ball Unsportsmanlike Penalty on Offense will result in 15 yard penalty.  (Players that receive more than 2 unsportsmanlike penalties will be ejected from the tournament.)

1.  Defense

1.  Offsides=5 yard penalty
2. Defensive Holding=5 yard penalty
3. Defensive Pass Interference=15 yard penalty and down is replayed.  If the 15 yards results in a first down then it is a first down.  If the pass interference occurs on a play where the ball is spotted inside the 15 yard line, then the penalty will be assessed half the distance to the goaline and replay the down.

1. Any dead ball penalty on the defense after a change of possession would result in a loss of down for that team’s offense when they begin their ensuing possession.  (ex. Penalty occurs on point after try.)

1. Dead Ball Unsportsmanlike Penalty on Defense will result in 15 yard penalty.  (Players that receive more than 2 unsportsmanlike penalties will be ejected from the tournament.)

1. Excessive contact by defense at the end of a play ie. Unnecessary tackling or taking or shoving a player to the ground can result in a 15 yard unsportsmanlike unnecessary roughness penalty. 

1. If a defensive penalty during the course of the play occurs on a play in which the result of the play is a touchdown by the offense, the only option by the offensive team is to accept the result of the play and decline the penalty.  There will be no yardage or penalty tacked on to an extra point try or a subsequent possession.  If a “dead ball” or “unsportsmanlike penalty is assessed to either team on a play in which the offense scored, the penalty will be assessed on the point after try or on the subsequent possession if the penalty occurred on the point after try.

8.  Turnovers/Deadballs

1. Receiver/Ball carrier is legally down when touched below the neck with one or both hands.  (Excessive force by shoving, pushing, or striking a blow will be penalized by automatic first down and 15 yards.  Player will be expelled if ruled unsportsmanlike & flagrant.)
2. Fumbles that hit the ground are dead balls at the spot with the last team retaining possession.  A muffed snap is not a fumble/dead ball.  The 4.0 second count remains in effect on snaps.
3. The QB is allowed 4.0 seconds to throw the ball.  Time starts on the snap of the ball and stops as soon as the QB releases the ball.  If release is under 4.0 seconds, the play continues.  Play is blown dead after 4.0 seconds.
4. Interceptions may not be returned.
5. The offense must gain at least 15 yards in the first 3 or less plays or the defense takes over.  No 4th downs.  (3) downs in all zones.

9.   Appeals

1. If during game play a coach or player disagrees with an official’s call, they may not dispute that call with that official at that time.
2. For consideration, the coach must report all game play ruling discrepancies to the Field Manager no more than 20 minutes after the game has ended.  Any reversal or game-changing decisions will be made at the Tournament Manager’s discretion.

10.  Additional Game Format Rules

1.  Ball always placed on the right hash mark when at the 40 yard line.
2. No kicking or punting
3. No passer may run with the ball past the line of scrimmage.  A pass caught behind the line of scrimmage must be advanced by that receiver past the line of scrimmage in the final 2:00 minutes or the game clock stops.  The only laterals that will be allowed will be laterals that occur after the completion of a forward pass.  Hand offs in the backfield are not allowed.  Receivers alignment should respect the tackle box.  3 yards on either side of the center and 2 yards deep behind the line of scrimmage.
4. In the last two minutes of the game, the clock stops on change of possession.  Teams must be given adequate time to change over from offense to defense or vice versa before the ball is snapped by the offense taking possession.
5. All offensive formations must be legal sets.
6. No blocking
7. No taunting or trash talking.
8. Any physical fighting by a player will result in automatic ejection from the game and tournament if applicable. 
9. Any “bench clearing” fighting will result in entire team ejection from the tournament.
10. 2 unsportsmanlike penalties against any one player will result in ejection from tournament.

11.  Uniforms

1.  All teams are required to wear the designated playing uniform.
2. Players are permitted to wear standard football cleats with plastic or rubber spikes.  No metal spikes are allowed.
3. Participants must wear mouthpieces at all times during competition.
4. Soft Shell Helmets are not required but are extremely encouraged during play.