NCAA Flag Rule 9
Conduct of Players and Others Subject to the Rules
SECTION 1. PERSONAL FOULS
`All fouls in this section (unless noted) and any other acts of unnecessary roughness are personal fouls. Except as otherwise noted, the penalties for all personal fouls are as follows:
PENALTY—Personal foul. Ten yards. Flagrant offenders shall be ejected. For dead-ball fouls: Ten yards from the succeeding spot. Penalties for Team A live-ball personal fouls behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. Safety if the Team A live-ball foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line. [S31; S36]
ARTICLE 1.
a. Before the game, during the game and between periods, all flagrant fouls require ejection. Automatic first down for Team B flagrant personal fouls if not in conflict with other rules.
b. Examples of flagrant fouls include but are not limited to:
1. Fighting. (Rule 2-28)
2. Tackling the runner similar to tackle football in which it is obvious that there is no attempt to pull the flag.
3. Any action that fits the definition of Rule 2-7-3.
ARTICLE 2. No player shall strip or attempt to strip the ball from a runner by punching, striking, or grabbing the ball.
ARTICLE 3. No player shall make contact with an opponent that is deemed unnecessary, including using knees, fists, locked hands, elbows, or any part of the forearm or hand.
ARTICLE 4. No player shall throw or push the runner to the ground.
ARTICLE 5. No player shall trip an opponent. Tripping is intentionally using the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent below the knee.
ARTICLE 6. No player shall initiate contact with an opponent by charging, driving through, or running into an opponent, nor by leading with a shoulder or extended elbow.
ARTICLE 7.
a. No defensive player shall rough a passer when it is obvious the ball has been thrown forward legally.
b. Examples of roughing the passer include but are not limited to:
1. Contacting the passer’s throwing hand or arm.
2. Any action that is a personal foul as described elsewhere in this section.
PENALTY—Ten yards and automatic first down. The foul is added to the end of the last run when it ends beyond the neutral zone and there is no change of team possession during the down. [S28]
ARTICLE 8. There shall be no hurdling. (Exception: The ball carrier may hurdle an opponent who is not on their feet as defined in 2-12-1b).
PENALTY—Ten yards. [S31]
SECTION 2. UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
Except as otherwise noted, the penalties for all unsportsmanlike conduct fouls are as follows:
PENALTY—Ten yards. Flagrant offenders shall be ejected. For dead-ball fouls, or for live-ball fouls treated as dead-ball fouls, Ten yards from the succeeding spot. [S24]
ARTICLE 1. There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct or any act that interferes with orderly game administration on the part of players, substitutes, coaches, authorized attendants, or any other persons subject to the rules before the game, during the game, or between periods.
a. Specifically prohibited act and conduct include:
1. Using abusive, threatening or obscene language or gestures, or engaging in such acts that provoke ill will or are demeaning to an opponent, to game officials, or to the image of the game, including but not limited to:
(a) Pointing the finger(s), hand(s), arm(s), or ball at an opponent, or imitating the slashing of the throat.
(b) Taunting, baiting, or ridiculing an opponent verbally.
(c) Inciting an opponent or spectators in any other way, such as simulating the firing or brandishing of a weapon or placing a hand by the ear to request recognition.
(d) Any delayed, excessive, prolonged, or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon themself (or themselves).
(e) An unopposed ball carrier obviously altering stride when approaching the opponent’s goal line.
(f) Dead-ball contact fouls such as pushing, shoving, striking, etc. that occur clearly after the ball is dead and that are not part of the game action.
(g) Being on the field illegally.
(h) An unopposed ball carrier obviously altering stride when approaching the opponent’s goal line or diving into the end zone.
(i) Punching one’s own chest or crossing one’s arms in front of the chest while standing over a prone player.
(j) Going into the stands to interact with spectators or bowing at the waist after a good play.
(k) No ejected person shall be in view of the field of play.
2. After a score or any other play, no player shall:
(a) Intentionally kick or spin the ball at or toward an opponent.
(b) Spike the ball with force into the ground.
(c) Throw the ball high into the air.
(d) Any other unsportsmanlike act or actions that delay the game.
ARTICLE 2. No player shall intentionally remove a flag from an opposing player other than the ball carrier.
ARTICLE 3. No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents. No tactic associated with substitutes or the substitution process may be used to confuse opponents.
ARTICLE 4.
The following are unfair acts:
a. A team refuses to play within two minutes after being ordered to do so by the referee.
b. A team repeatedly commits fouls for which penalties can be enforced only by halving the distance to its goal line.
c. An obviously unfair act not specifically covered by the rules occurs during the game. This includes substitutes, coaches, or any other persons subject to the rules, other than a player or official, interfering in any way with the ball or a player while the ball is in play.
PENALTY—Unsportsmanlike conduct. The referee may take any action they consider equitable, which includes assessing a Ten yard penalty from the succeeding spot and automatic first down, directing the down to be repeated, awarding a score, or suspending or forfeiting the game. [S24]
ARTICLE 5. Persons subject to the rules shall not intentionally contact a game official forcibly during the game.
PENALTY—Flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct. Administer as a dead-ball foul. Ten yards from the succeeding spot and automatic ejection. [S24; S36]
Game Administration and Sideline Interference
ARTICLE 6. While the ball is live and during the continuing action after the ball has been declared dead:
a. Coaches, substitutes, and authorized attendants in the team area must remain in the team box.
PENALTY—Administer as a dead-ball foul. First infraction: Warning for sideline interference. No yardage penalty. [S15]
Second infraction: Delay of game for sideline interference. Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S15]
Third and subsequent infractions: Team unsportsmanlike conduct for sideline interference. Ten yards from the succeeding spot. [S25]
b. Physical interference with an official is a foul charged to the team for unsportsmanlike conduct.
PENALTY—Team unsportsmanlike conduct. Administer as a dead-ball foul. Ten yards from the succeeding spot. [S25]
Ejected Players and Coaches
ARTICLE 7. Any coach, player, or identified squad member in uniform who commits two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls in the same game shall be ejected. A player or coach ejected from the game must leave the playing enclosure within a reasonable amount of time after their ejection and must remain out of view of the field for the remainder of the game. A head coach ejected from the game must designate a new head coach to the referee.
The penalty for all screening fouls in this section are as follows:
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards. [S33]
ARTICLE 1. The offensive screen block shall take place without initiating contact. The screen blocker shall have their hands and arms at their side, behind their back, or against their chest when screen blocking. A player must be on their feet before, during, and after screen blocking. A blocker may use their hand or arm to break a fall or retain their balance.
Screen Blocking Fundamentals
ARTICLE 2. A player who screen blocks shall not do any of the following:
a. Take a position closer than a normal step when behind a stationary opponent.
b. Make contact when assuming a position at the side or in front of a stationary opponent.
c. Take a position so close to a moving opponent that their opponent cannot avoid contact by stopping or changing direction. The speed of the player to be screened will determine where the screener may take their stationary position. This position will vary and may be 1 to 2 normal steps or strides from the opponent.
d. After assuming their legal screening position, move to maintain it, unless they move in the same direction and path as their opponent.
ARTICLE 3. Any use of the hands, arms, elbows, legs, or body to initiate contact during an offensive player’s screen block is illegal. It is a foul if the blocker creates contact by violating any of the screen blocking fundamentals in Rule 9-3-2.
Blocking and Interlocked Interference
ARTICLE 4. Teammates of a runner or passer may interfere for them by screen blocking but shall not use interlocked interference by grasping or encircling one another in any manner.
SECTION 4. USE OF HANDS OR ARMS AND ILLEGAL CONTACT
Use of Hands or Arms by the Defense
ARTICLE 1. Opponents must go around the offensive player’s screen block. The arms and hands may not be used to displace the opponent. A blocker may use their hand or arm to break a fall or retain their balance.
Illegal Contact by the Defense
ARTICLE 2. During: 1) a running play; 2) prior to a legal or illegal pass (forward or backward) being thrown; or 3) during a kick play while the ball is in flight – defensive players may not use hands or arms to restrict, hold, displace, or otherwise illegally obstruct an opponent.
PENALTY—Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, automatic first down. (Note: illegal contact by the defense after a legal forward pass is thrown is pass interference—see 7-4-8c.) [S33]
SECTION 5. BATTING AND KICKING
The penalties for all illegal batting and illegal kicking fouls are as follows:
PENALTY—Five yards and loss of down for fouls by Team A. [S26]
ARTICLE 1. Players shall not bat a loose ball other than a pass or fumble in flight. (Exception: Team A may bat a grounded or an airborne punt beyond A’s scrimmage line toward their own goal).
Batting a Backward Pass in Flight
ARTICLE 2. A backward pass in flight shall not be batted or thrown forward by the passing team.
Batting Ball in Possession
ARTICLE 3. A ball in player possession shall not be batted forward by a player of that team.
ARTICLE 4. No player shall intentionally kick a ball other than a punt.
