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| Anthony
October 6, 2006
2:15:53 PM
Entry #: 1718605
| CFL Official League Rules
THE FIELD
DIMENSIONS - The game shall be played upon a rectangular field which measures 100 yards in length. This will include an 80 yard playing field and two 10 yard end zones. The width of the field shall be 40 yards.
MARKINGS - First down markers are positioned in set locations every 20 yards. First downs are only achieved by crossing these markers.
PLAYERS AREA - There will be a designated area for players and coaches located on each side of the playing field, between the 20 yard lines. This is a mandatory location during games for teams.
Equipment
THE BALL
Each team must provide an N.F.H.S., NCAA, or Pro Type Football-fully inflated. The Referee shall be the sole judge as to whether all balls offered for play comply with these specifications. Smaller college or high school footballs are prohibited.
Uniforms
Teams will be required to wear like color shirts or jerseys. Opposing teams may not wear similar colored shirts. The home team will get choice on whether to wear light or dark. Numbers are mandatory.
Players
NUMBER - The game is to be played by two teams of SEVEN (7) players each. More than seven players on the field is illegal, while less than seven (7) players is legal with a minimum of five (5) players needed to play. Penalty for too many players: 5 yards for illegal substitution or 10 yards for illegal participation
ROSTERS - Team rosters are set when the 6th game of the season is started. Players can not switch teams after this game has started.
ROSTERS - Teams must carry ten (10) regular players on their roster and one (1) reserve. All 10 regular players must play either offense or defense during all regular season games. The reserve is only eligible to play if one or more regular players are not able to play. In the playoffs, it is the coach’s discretion who plays and how much they play. Reserves are not eligible in the playoffs unless one or more regular players are not able to play.
GAME TIMING
LENGTH OF THE GAME - The length of the game is 48 minutes, divided into four quarters of 12 minutes. Running time with no clock stoppage is used in the first half. During the FINAL 2 MINUTES of the EACH HALF, traditional clock stoppage is used only when the ball carrier steps out of bounds, there is an incomplete pass, a change in ball possession, a score is achieved, and when there is a penalty only if the score is within one score eight (8) points. THE CLOCK WILL START AS SOON AS THE PENALTY IS ASSESSED.
STARTING EACH GAME - A coin toss will determine either of one of two choices, which team is to receive the ball or which goal his team will defend.
TIME OUTS - Each team is allowed three (3) time outs per half. Charged time outs can be used at anytime. The time clock will begin at the snap of the next play.
EXCEPTION: The Referee may allow necessary time to attend to an injured player; or repair legal equipment in which the Referee will use his discretion on whether or not the clock stops.
TIME BETWEEN PLAYS - The offensive team has 30 SECONDS in which to snap the ball once the referee has spotted the ball after the previous play has been ruled dead. It shall be the responsibility of the offensive team to retrieve the ball and hand it to the referee after each play. The referee will indicate by signaling to the offensive team when 10 seconds remains on the 30 second clock, and a 5 yard penalty will incur if the ball is not snapped within 30 seconds.
MERCY RULE – No mercy rule in effect. Coaches may use discretion and agree when to call a game.
Offense
Formation
LINE OF SCRIMMAGE - Offensive team must have at lease three (3) players on the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap.
MOTION – No motion is allowed.
BLOCKING- Full contact blocking is permitted. No blocking in the back or roll blocking is permitted.
ELIGIBLE RECEIVERS - ALL 7 PLAYERS INCLUDING THE LINESMEN ARE ELIGIBLE to run down field and catch passes. Receivers can all line up on one side -- there does not have to be a balanced wide receiver set. However, at least three (3) players must be on the line of scrimmage prior to the snap.
FORWARD PASSES – The offensive team is only allowed one forward pass.
FLAG GUARDING - A ball carrier can not shield his flags from the opponent with his free hand when attempting to elude tacklers. Play will be dead at the spot of the foul and will result in a 5 yard penalty & loss of down, unless the ball carrier exceeds the 1st down mark by more then 5 yards.
STIFF ARMING - Stiff arming is illegal and will draw an unnecessary roughness penalty. This will result in a penalty of 10 yards from the spot of the foul and loss of down.
Defense
RUSHING -Full rush is allowed on every down. No 3 point stance is permitted.
BUMP AND RUN – Bump and Run is allowed on a receiver within five (5) yards of the line of scrimmage.
TACKLING AND RUNNING
TACKLING - A legal tackle is defined as pulling OFF the ball carrier's flag belt, without impeding his forward movement. Incidental contact does not constitute a penalty against the offense or defense. Tackling a ball carrier is ILLEGAL, as is aggressively shoving or pushing the ball carrier to the ground or out of bounds without making an attempt to pull the flag. Penalty: 10 yards plus automatic 1st down.
PLACEMENT OF THE BALL WHEN FLAG IS PULLED
SPOTTING THE BALL - The ball will be placed at the point of the ball when the flag is pulled.
BALL CARRIER IS NOT WEARING OR INADVERTENTLY LOSSES HIS FLAG BELT - In an event a ball carrier is not wearing or loses his flag belt inadvertently, single hand touching of the ball carrier will constitute a legal tackle. It is illegal to pull someone’s flags before the ball arrives. If this happens, the runner is not down until touched, and a 10 yard penalty will be added to the end of the play.
BALL CARRIER INADVERTENTLY FALLS TO THE GROUND - A ball carrier who falls to the ground is CONSIDERED DOWN and will not be allowed to get back up to play. A player is allowed to put his hand on the ground without being considered down.
FUMBLES - There are NO FUMBLES. When the ball carriers loses control of the ball and it touches the ground the play is ruled dead and the ball is spotted at the point it touched the ground as long as the spot is at or behind the ball carriers forward progress.
BAD SNAPS FROM CENTER - Any center snap that falls and touches the ground will be ruled dead at the spot of the ball hits the ground.
FIELD POSITIONING
BALL PLACEMENT- The team which is receiving the ball at the start of the game or after any touchdown will start the ball at the equivalent to the 20 YARD LINE. There will be NO KICKOFFS to start play.
PUNTING- The offensive team is allowed to punt the ball on any down to better their field position. The offense must declare what they will do i.e. go for 1st, or punt. The offense may not change their mind once a punt is declared unless they use a timeout. The receiving team can field the punt at any time until the kicking team touches it. If a punt touches a player i.e. muff, the ball will be spotted where it touches the ground. If the ball is muffed by the receiving team and ends up in the punting team’s hands before hitting the ground the ball belongs to the punting team and the punting team can advance the ball.
PLAYERS
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME EACH TEAM MUST DESIGNATE ITS CAPTAINS, one for the offense and one for the defense. Captains’ act as sole representatives of their team in all communications with the officials, no other players may question the officials.
PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY - Players must have participated in at least (5) five regular season games to be eligible to participate in playoff unless a player is injured.
OVERTIME
If both teams are tied after regulation the game will go into overtime. The format will follow the High-School/College system of each team getting 4 downs to score from the 10 Yard Line. Both teams get equal chances to score.
SCORING
Touchdowns = 6 points
EXTRA POINTS
Running/ Passing from the 3 Yard Line = 1 point
Running/ Passing from the 10 Yard Line = 2 points
SAFETY- There will be 2 points awarded for a safety and the offensive team will loose possession.
Defensive Penalties
Offside –
A defender will be considered offside when he breaks the neutral zone prior to the snap, even if there is no contact made with the offense. You are not allowed to jump back. 5 yard penalty and replay the down. The offense has the right to accept or decline an offside penalty. If the offensive team declines and a second offside penalty occurs the penalty is 10 yards and an automatic first down.
Roughing the Passer –
Roughing the passer is when the defender makes contact with the Quarterback in a manner that is aggressive or that is not deemed an attempt to go after the flag belt. This includes when a defender tries to deflect the pass and makes contact with the quarterback’s arm or hand. Penalty- 10 yards and automatic 1st down.
Defensive Holding –
Defensive holding is when a defender grabs the ball carrier and impedes his forward progress. This includes when the defender is attempting to pull a flag and misses and grabs the ball carriers shorts or shirt. 10 yard penalty and automatic 1st down.
PASS INTERFERENCE -
Defensive pass interference will result in an automatic 1st down and 15 yard penalty from line of scrimmage. Offensive pass interference will result in a loss of down and 15 yard Penalty from line of scrimmage.
FIGHTING AND UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT - Fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. A player ejected for any reason will be suspended for the following game. THROWING ROCKS IS PROHIBITED. Verbal abuse also will not be tolerated. Such abuse when deemed appropriate will be grounds for game ejection and possible league suspension. Penalty: 10 yards and automatic 1st down
Subject to appeal hearing
LEAVING THE SIDELINE- Any player who leaves the sideline for any reason will be subject to an automatic three (3) game suspension. That includes helping out a brother, uncle, or cousin in a fight or scuffle or anything else.
Offensive Penalties
NOT ENOUGH MEN ON THE LINE –The offense is required to have at least three (3) men on the line of scrimmage. If the offense fails to three men on the line of scrimmage a penalty will be called. 5 yards and replay the down.
FLAG GUARDING – Flag guarding is defined as any attempt by the ball carrier to shield his flags from being pulled. This includes but is not limited to, swinging free hand, stiff arming, holding flags with free hand, lowering shoulder, and moving flags with ball. 10 yard penalty and loss of down (unless a first down is achieved after the penalty has been marked off).
DIVING – A player may dive, but may NOT jump while carrying the ball. Jumping while carrying the ball will be a 10 yard penalty and loss of down. You can dive into the endzone.
TIE-BREAKERS:
2 TEAMS:
#1- HEAD TO HEAD COMPETITION
#2- POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN HEAD TO HEAD GAMES
#3- POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN THE WHOLE LEAGUE
#4- COIN TOSS (BEST 2 OUT OF 3)
3 TEAMS:
#1- HEAD TO HEAD VS LIKE OPPONENTS
#2- POINT DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN ALL THREE TEAMS
#3- POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN WHOLE LEAGUE
#4- COIN TOSS (BEST 2 OUT OF 3)
ALL RULES NOT STATED WILL BE DECIDED BY A MAJORITY VOTE BY COACHES AND VETERAN PANEL.
ALL ISSUES THAT AFFECT A COACH’S TEAM DIRECTLY WILL BE DECIDED BY THE OTHER COACHES AND COMMISSIONER OR PANEL.
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