NCAA Flag Rule 7
Snapping, Passing, and Running
ARTICLE 1.
a. The ball shall be put in play by a legal snap.
b. No player shall put the ball in play before it is ready for play.
c. The ball may not be snapped in a side zone. If the starting point for any scrimmage down is in a side zone, the ball shall be transferred to the hash mark.
ARTICLE 2.
a. Shift. After a huddle or shift and before the snap, all Team A players must come to an absolute stop and remain stationary in their positions without movement of the feet, body, head or arms for at least one full second before the ball is snapped.
b. False Start. Each of the following is a false start by Team A if it occurs prior to the snap after the ball is ready for play and all players are in scrimmage formation:
1. Any movement by one or more players that simulates the start of a play.
2. The snapper moving to another position.
3. An offensive player making any quick, jerky movement before the snap, including but not limited to:
(a) The snapper shifting or moving the ball, moving their thumb or fingers, flexing their elbows, jerking their head, or dipping their shoulders or buttocks.
(b) The quarterback making any quick, jerky movement that simulates the beginning of a play.
(c) A back simulating receiving the ball by making any quick, jerky movement that simulates the beginning of a play.
4. The offensive team never coming to a one-second stop prior to the snap after the ball is ready for play. This is an illegal shift that converts to a false start.
Offensive Team Requirements—Prior to the Snap
ARTICLE 3. Each of the following (a.-c.) is a dead-ball foul. Officials should blow the whistle and not allow the play to continue. After the ball is ready for play and before it is snapped:
a. Snapper. The snapper:
1. May not move to a different position nor have any part of their body beyond the neutral zone;
2. May not lift the ball, move it beyond the neutral zone or simulate the start of a play;
3. May take their hand(s) off the ball, but only if this does not simulate the start of a play.
b. Encroachment. Once the snap is imminent, no other Team A player may be in or beyond the
neutral zone (Exception: Substitutes and departing players).
c. False Start. No Team A player may commit a false start or contact an opponent.
PENALTY—[a.-c.] Dead-ball foul: Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S18; S19]
Offensive Team Requirements—At the Snap
ARTICLE 4. Violation of each of the following (a.-c.) is a live-ball foul; the play is allowed to continue.
a. Formation. At the snap Team A must be in a formation that meets these requirements:
1. All players must be inbounds.
2. The snap must be received at least 2 yards behind the offensive scrimmage line.
3. The only player required to be on the offensive scrimmage line is the snapper.
b. Player in Motion.
1. One back may be in motion, but that back may not be moving toward their opponent’s goal line.
2. A player in motion at the snap must have satisfied the one-second rule—i.e., that player may not start their motion before any shift has ended.
c. Illegal Shift. At the snap, Team A may not execute an illegal shift (Rule 7-1-2a).
PENALTY [a-c]—Live-ball foul: Five yards from the previous spot. For live-ball fouls occurring when or after the snap starts during punt plays: Five yards from the previous spot, or if the punt crosses the neutral zone, Five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead-ball belongs to Team B. [S19; S20]
Defensive Team Requirements
ARTICLE 5. The defensive team requirements are as follows:
a. Each of the following (1.-5.) is a dead-ball foul. Officials should blow the whistle and not allow the play to continue. After the ball is ready for play and before the ball is snapped:
1. No player may touch the ball except when moved illegally, nor may any player contact an opponent or in any other way interfere with them.
2. No player may enter the neutral zone causing an offensive player to react immediately or commit any other dead-ball offside foul.
3. No player may cross the neutral zone and without making contact continue their charge toward any player in the offensive backfield.
PENALTY [1.-3.]—Dead-ball foul, offside. Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S18]
4. Player(s) aligned in a stationary position one yard from the line of scrimmage may not make quick, abrupt or exaggerated actions that are not part of normal defensive player movement.
5. No player shall use words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play. No player may call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of, or otherwise interfere with, offensive starting signals.
PENALTY [4.-5.]—Dead-ball foul, delay of game. Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S21]
b. When the snap starts:
1. No player may be in or beyond the neutral zone at the snap.
2. All players must be inbounds.
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot. [S18]
ARTICLE 1. A runner shall not flag guard by using their hands, arms, or the ball to cause contact
between the runner and an opponent that denies the opponent the opportunity to pull or
remove the flag belt. Examples of flag guarding include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Placing or swinging the hand or arm over a flag.
b. Placing the ball in possession over a flag.
c. Lowering the shoulders in such a manner that places the arm over the flag belt.
d. Contacting an opponent with an extended hand or arm.
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the spot of the foul; also loss of down by Team A
before team possession changes during a scrimmage down. [S37]
Helping the Ball Carrier or Passer
ARTICLE 2.
a. The ball carrier shall not grasp a teammate; and no other player of their team shall grasp, pull, or lift them to assist their forward progress.
b. Teammates of the ball carrier or passer shall not use interlocked interference by grasping or encircling one another in any manner while contacting an opponent.
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S34]
ARTICLE 3. An opponent shall not hold, grasp, or obstruct the forward progress of a runner when in the act of removing the flag belt.
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards.
SECTION 3. BACKWARD PASS AND FUMBLE
ARTICLE 1. A ball carrier may hand or pass the ball backward at any time, except to throw the ball intentionally out-of-bounds to conserve time.
PENALTY—Five yards from the spot of the foul; also loss of down if by Team A before team possession changes during a scrimmage down. [S29]
ARTICLE 2.
a. When a backward pass or fumble is caught by any inbounds player, the ball continues in play.
b. When a backward pass or fumble is caught simultaneously by opposing players, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the team last in possession.
Out-of-Bounds or Grounded
ARTICLE 3.
a. Backward Pass. When a backward pass goes out-of-bounds or is grounded between the goal lines, the ball belongs to the passing team at the spot.
b. Fumble. When a fumble goes out-of-bounds or is grounded between the goal lines:
1. In advance of the spot of the fumble, the ball belongs to the fumbling team at the spot of the fumble.
2. Behind the spot of the fumble, the ball belongs to the fumbling team at the spot.
c. Behind or Beyond the Goal Line. When a fumble or backward pass goes out-of-bounds or is grounded behind or beyond a goal line, it is a safety or touchback depending on impetus and responsibility.
ARTICLE 1. Team A may make one forward pass during each scrimmage down before team possession changes, provided the pass is thrown from a point in or behind the neutral zone.
ARTICLE 2. A forward pass is illegal if:
a. It is thrown by a Team A player whose entire body is beyond the offensive scrimmage line when the ball is released.
b. It is thrown by a Team B player.
c. It is thrown after team possession has changed during the down.
d. It is the second forward pass during the same down.
e. It is thrown from in or behind the offensive scrimmage line after a ball carrier’s entire body and the ball have been beyond the offensive scrimmage line.
f. If a passer catches their untouched forward pass.
PENALTY [a.-f.]—Five yards from the spot of the foul; also loss of down if by Team A before team possession changes during a scrimmage down. [S29]
g. The passer to conserve time throws the ball directly to the ground (1) after the ball has already touched the ground; or (2) not immediately after controlling the ball.
h. The passer to conserve time throws the ball forward into an area where there is no eligible Team A receiver.
i. The passer to conserve yardage throws the ball forward into an area where there is no eligible Team A receiver.
PENALTY [g.-i.]—Loss of down at the spot of the foul. [S30]
Eligibility To Touch Legal Forward Pass
ARTICLE 3.
a. Eligibility rules apply during a down when a legal forward pass is thrown.
b. All Team B players are eligible to touch or catch a pass.
c. All Team A players are eligible to touch or catch a pass (Exception: Team A player who threw the pass).
d. Team A eligible player loses their eligibility when the player goes out-of-bounds.
Eligibility Lost by Going Out-of-Bounds
ARTICLE 4. No offensive receiver who goes out-of-bounds and returns inbounds during a down shall touch a legal forward pass while in the field of play or end zones or while airborne until it has been touched by an opponent or official. (Exception: This does not apply to an originally eligible offensive player who immediately returns inbounds after going out-of-bounds due to contact by an opponent.) If the player touches the pass before returning inbounds, it is an incomplete pass and not a foul for illegal touching.
PENALTY—Loss of down at the previous spot. [S16]
Eligibility Gained or Regained
ARTICLE 5. When a Team B player or an official touches a legal forward pass, all players become eligible.
ARTICLE 6. Any forward pass is complete when caught by a player of the passing team who is inbounds, and the ball continues in play unless completed in the opponent’s end zone or the pass has been caught simultaneously by opposing players. If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by opposing players inbounds, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the passing team.
ARTICLE 7.
a. Any forward pass is incomplete if the ball is out-of-bounds by rule or if it touches the ground when not firmly controlled by a player. It also is incomplete when a player leaves their feet and receives the pass but first lands on or outside a boundary line.
b. When a legal forward pass is incomplete, the ball belongs to the passing team at the previous spot.
c. When an illegal forward pass is incomplete, the ball belongs to the passing team at the spot of the pass (Exception: If Team B declines the penalty for an illegal pass thrown from the end zone, the ball shall next be put in play at the previous spot).
Illegal Contact and Pass Interference
ARTICLE 8.
a. During a down in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone, illegal contact by Team A and Team B players is prohibited from the time the ball is snapped until it is touched by any player or an official.
b. Offensive pass interference is contact by a Team A player beyond the neutral zone that interferes with a Team B player during a legal forward pass play in which the forward pass crosses the neutral zone. It is the responsibility of the offensive player to avoid the opponents. It is not offensive pass interference:
1. When two or more eligible players are making a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass. Players of either team have equal rights to the ball.
2. When the pass is in flight and two or more players are in the area where they might receive or intercept the pass and an offensive player in that area impedes an opponent, and the pass is not catchable.
PENALTY—Ten yards from the previous spot. [S27]
c. Defensive pass interference is contact beyond the neutral zone by a Team B player whose intent to impede an eligible opponent is obvious and could prevent the opponent the opportunity of receiving a catchable forward pass. When in question, a legal forward pass is catchable. Defensive pass interference occurs only after a legal forward pass is thrown.
d. It is not defensive pass interference:
1. When two or more eligible players are making a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass. Eligible players of either team have equal rights to the ball.
2. When a Team B player legally contacts an opponent before the pass is thrown.
PENALTY—Team A’s ball at the spot of the foul, automatic first down, if the foul occurs fewer than 10 yards beyond the previous spot. If the foul occurs 10 or more yards beyond the previous spot, Team A’s ball, automatic first down, Ten yards from the previous spot [S27]. (Note: illegal contact by the defense prior to a legal forward pass is thrown is illegal contact—see 9-4-2.)
When the ball is snapped on or inside the Team B 13-yard line and outside the Team B three-yard line, and the spot of the foul is on or inside the three-yard line, the penalty from the previous spot shall place the ball at the three-yard line, automatic first down.
No penalty enforced from outside the three-yard line may place the ball inside the three-yard line (Exception: On the Try when the snap is on or inside the three-yard line).
If the previous spot was on or inside the three-yard line, first down halfway between the previous spot and the goal line.
Pass Interference: Summary
ARTICLE 9.
a. Pass interference rules apply only during a down in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone.
b. Contact by Team B with an eligible receiver involving a personal foul that interferes with the reception of a catchable pass may be ruled either as pass interference or as a personal foul with the 10-yard penalty enforced from the previous spot. Rule 7-4-8 is specific about contact during a pass. However, if the interference involves an act that ordinarily would result in ejection, the fouling player is ejected from the game.
c. Physical contact is required to establish interference.
d. Each player has territorial rights, and incidental contact is ruled under “attempt to reach…the pass’’ in Rule 7-4-8. If opponents who are beyond the line collide while moving toward the pass, a foul by one or both players occurs only if intent to impede the opponent is obvious. It is pass interference only if a catchable forward pass is involved.
e. Pass interference rules do not apply after the pass has been touched anywhere inbounds by an inbounds player or has touched an official. If an opponent is fouled, the penalty is for the foul and not pass interference.
