Player Rules

In order to participate in games, every player must:

  • Be properly certified in registration with Zorts, at the appropriate age for their division (age as of January 1, 2025 applies to each division all season — no exceptions).
  • Wear a wristband with the correct event name (“Houston”, “Tampa”, etc.).
  • Sign Participation Waiver.
  • Sign Code of Conduct.
  • Play for the same team for the entirety of the event, playing on a different team in either the same or different age group, even from the same program, results in automatic disqualification for both the initial team the player was on and the team they switched to.
  • Wear a mouthguard during the game (not required for quarterbacks).
  • Wear soft shell headgear (not required for quarterbacks).
  • Headgear must have at least a 4 rating by Virginia Tech Helmet Labs and include a fully functional retention system or chin strap.
  • Headgear must provide full head coverage with no hard or metal component parts, and be unable to cause harm to others.
  • Have a grade classification younger than High School Senior. No Seniors Allowed.
  • Concussion Protocol: Medical assessment will be conducted by the Athletic Trainers assigned to the event. Field concussion protocol will be used to establish which course of action will need to be taken. In the event that medical transport is needed, event protocol will be followed in contacting 9-1-1. Concussion Protocol prohibits an athlete from returning to play if transported to hospital. Upon return, athlete must present hospital discharge and restriction paperwork to the coach and event medical staff. If athlete is NOT cleared to participate, the athlete WILL NOT PLAY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Team Rules

  • Maximum of 30 players per team, no more than 30 wristbands for players per team can be issued.
  • Players must participate in mandatory wristband and equipment gear checks (mouthguard & headgear strapped) before every game.
  • All teams must provide their own footballs and adhere to the standard football sizing chart for their age group:
    • PeeWee - Size 5 (8U and below)
    • Junior - Size 6 (8U - 12U)
    • Youth/Intermediate - Size 7 (12U - 14U)
    • High School - Size 9 (14U and up)
  • Maximum of 4 coaches per team, with sideline access only during games, no more than 4 wristbands for coaches per team can be issued.
  • Coaches and players must be 4 yards back from boundary lines to allow space for officials to move.
  • One offensive coach may be in the huddle between plays.
  • NO OFFENSIVE PLAYERS BEHIND THE QUARTERBACK! (First infraction is a warning, second infraction will result in a Delay of Game penalty for offense.)
  • NO BLITZING AT THE 40 YARD LINE ALLOWED. IF A DEFENSE BLITZES, THIS WILL BE DEEMED AN ILLEGAL BLITZ AND AN AUTOMATIC 1st DOWN AND FIFTEEN (15) YARDS FOR OFFENSE and FORFEIT THEIR ONE BLITZ.
  • No defensive coach may be on the field at any time.
  • When the opposing offense reaches the 10-yard line, the offensive players on the sideline can go behind the 40-yard line to begin getting ready for their next possession.
  • Every team must check in with the field monitor prior to their scheduled game; if a team is more than 5 minutes late then they must forfeit.

Game Rules

Event Format:

  • Every team will complete three games of pool play before single-elimination playoff games.
  • For each game of pool play, coin toss determines which team will select whether they want to play offense or defense first. Visitors choose the team to call the coin toss, and only players can call the toss.
  • For each playoff game, the higher-seeded team decides who has possession first.

Referees & Field Monitors:

  • Every game will be officiated by a minimum of two referees, with one referee responsible for keeping the official game time and score, and the other tracking the score and monitoring the quarterback's 4.00 seconds time to throw using a handheld timer/digital stopwatch.
  • Referees are responsible for making decisions, enforcing rules on each play, and announcing score changes. They also take charge of tracking runs and blitzes. Field monitors maintain order, ensure the proper time flow of the game, address disputes on rulings after pool play games, and intervene in any rule discrepancies during playoff games.

First Downs:

  • Offense will start on the 40-yard line with the option of using either hash. First downs will be at the 25-yard line and 10-yard lines. Once the 1st down is achieved inside the 10-yard line, you will have three (3) downs to score.
  • All snaps at the 40-yard line must be off the QB-TEE (No Shotgun). Upon gaining a yard or more, the QB may take a shotgun off QB-TEE.

Scoring:

  • 6 points for offensive touchdown (no defensive touchdown).
  • 1 point for PAT conversion from the 5-yard line.
  • 2 points for PAT conversion from the 10-yard line.
  • 2 points for a Safety.
  • 2 points for a Defensive stop.
  • 3 points for a Defensive interception + ball on the 30-yard line.
    • No runbacks or “pick six".
  • 0 points for a defensive interception on PAT attempt.

Timing:

  • Every game is 25 minutes long with a running clock that can only be stopped by order from the field monitor.
  • Quarterback has 4.00 seconds to throw a forward pass, hand off the ball, or lateral to a running player unless the defense blitzes, in which case the quarterback can throw at any time.
  • The 4.00-seconds time window is tracked by the referee and digital stopwatch. If the quarterback still has possession of the ball after the 4.00-second mark, the play is declared dead, and the referees will blow a delayed whistle, regardless of the result of the play.
  • In playoffs, each team gets one 30-second timeout per game.
  • If time expires when a touchdown is scored, the offense is permitted to have a PAT chance.
  • The 28-point mercy rule will be implemented during Sunday bracket play.

Inadvertent Whistle:

  • Any inadvertent whistle results in a dead ball. The offense will have a choice of replaying the down or taking the result of the play of the inadvertent whistle.
  • If an inadvertent whistle occurs under 2 minutes in playoff games, the clock stops until a decision has been made by the offense and will start at the ready whistle.
  • If an inadvertent whistle occurs at the end of regulation, the offense will have a choice of replaying the down or taking the result of the play of the inadvertent whistle.
  • If an inadvertent whistle occurs on any play of overtime, the offense will have a choice of replaying the down or taking the result of the play of the inadvertent whistle.

Ties:

  • No overtime in pool play games. If the score is tied at the end of regulation, the result is a tie for both teams.
  • In playoff games, if the score is tied at the end of regulation, overtime is played, and the referee selects which team calls the coin toss.
  • The coin toss winner selects whether to play offense or defense first. The order switches for each subsequent possession. If the team that wins the coin toss elects to go on offense first, they then go second if the score is still tied after one set of possessions.
  • Offense and defense have alternating possessions. If one team has a higher score at the end of a possession, it wins the game.
  • Each team will have 2 downs from the QB-tee from the 10-yard line, choice of hash. If you score, you receive the standard 6 points.
  • There is NO running or blitzing in overtime. All plays MUST be a pass.
  • Only offensive scoring counts in overtime. No points are awarded for defensive stops or interceptions.
  • On the first possession for each offense, PAT attempts can be from either the 5-yard line (1 point possible) or 10-yard line (2 points possible). For the second possession and all others, PAT attempts must be from the 10-yard line. If the coach doesn’t respond to the official on which yard-line, the official will place the ball on the 5-yard line to go for 1 point. Once this decision is made, coaches cannot overturn this decision.
  • If neither team scores or it still ends as a tie, the coin is flipped again, then back to the standard longest passing yard from the 40-yard line.
  • There is no running or blitzing allowed in the longest yard situations.
  • The team with the most positive yards will be declared the winner of the tiebreaker and will add 1 point to the final score.
  • All plays resulting in negative yards, loss of down penalties, or interceptions will result in 0 positive yards.
  • If there is no completion, or the deepest completion is equal, the tiebreaker will be repeated with the team that lost the initial coin toss making the choice to either take offense or defense. This format will be repeated until a clear winner is declared.
  • This tiebreaker format will be used in SINGLE ELIMINATION GAMES ONLY.

Offense:

  • All offensive formations must be legal sets — at least two receivers on the line of scrimmage for every snap with proper alignment on and off the ball.
  • The offense is allowed one running play per game, tracked by the referees. Any offensive player except the quarterback can run.
  • Safeties will be enforced for any plays that have the final result of the play being behind the 40-yard line.
  • If the offense runs after already using their one run, Illegal advancement, it is a loss of down.
  • All passes must be thrown forward by the quarterback. If the quarterback throws laterally to a receiver, it counts as a run play.
  • A forward pass on a jet sweep behind the line of scrimmage is not a run play. It will be considered a run play if the QB hands off to the player in motion on jet sweep.
  • If a team blitzes, there will be NO 4.00-second count. The QB can scramble but cannot run past the original line of scrimmage.
  • Reception occurs when an offensive player possesses the ball with at least one step inbounds.
  • Snaps must be performed by a player; coaches are not allowed to initiate play.
  • A muffed snap/bad snap by the QB prior to throwing a pass is not a fumble. The QB may field the snap cleanly. The quarterback has all 4.00 seconds to attempt a pass, hand off the ball, or lateral to a running player unless being blitzed.
  • The first person to control the football off the QB-Tee or center is the QB. The QB is never eligible to run. The 2nd player to possess the ball is the runner and is not allowed to throw any forward passes.
  • If an offensive player fumbles the ball, the play is blown dead where the ball is fumbled.
  • No blocking is permitted, resulting in offensive holding penalties and loss of down.
  • Laterals are not permitted after the initial exchange from quarterback to running back/receiver.
  • All offensive player substitutions must take place behind the line of scrimmage.
  • Offense is responsible for retrieving and returning the ball to the previous scrimmage spot or new scrimmage spot. Any deliberate attempt by the offense to impede the spot results in a delay of game penalty.
  • If utilizing a center to snap the ball, players must snap in one continuous motion from the ground.

Defense:

  • It is the defense’s responsibility to avoid contact.
  • An interception will result in an immediate stoppage of play and a change of possession, with the interception team gaining possession at the 30-yard line. If an unsportsmanlike penalty is given to the interception team, they will be penalized 15 yards + loss of down.
  • Interceptions cannot be run back or result in a “pick six".
  • Defensive players are allowed initial disruptive contact/jam against offensive players at the line of scrimmage but will be assigned a 5-yard holding penalty if there is prolonged or excessive contact.
  • An offensive receiver/ball carrier is considered down when a defensive player contacts the player with at least one hand below the neck and above the ankles.
  • The defense is allowed one blitz per game, tracked by the referees. The defense can blitz as many players as they want.
  • NO BLITZING AT THE 40 YARD LINE ALLOWED. IF A DEFENSE BLITZES, THIS WILL BE DEEMED AN ILLEGAL BLITZ AND AN AUTOMATIC 1st DOWN AND FIFTEEN (15) YARDS FOR OFFENSE and FORFEIT THEIR ONE BLITZ.
  • Defensive players cannot cross the line on a run play until the quarterback hands the ball off or laterals to the RB/WR.
  • If there is an offensive penalty on the play that the blitz is used, the defense is awarded their blitz back.
  • If the defense blitzes after already using their one blitz, it is treated as a live ball foul. The defense will be assessed a 10-yard penalty and an automatic first down awarded to the offense.

Celebration:

  • Players are permitted and encouraged to celebrate with teammates and coaches between plays and after the game has ended.
  • Excessive celebration is prohibited directly in front of opposing players, coaches, or spectators. Actions involving taunting and disrespect will incur a 15-yard penalty for the 1st personal foul. A 2nd personal foul will lead to ejection and disqualification from the entire tournament. Any 3rd personal foul by a player from the same team will result in the entire team being disqualified from the tournament.
  • No kicking, punting, or throwing the ball or any act similar will be permitted. Actions will incur a 15-yard penalty for the 1st personal foul. A 2nd personal foul will lead to ejection and disqualification from the entire tournament. Any 3rd personal foul by a player from the same team will result in the entire team being disqualified from the tournament.
  • Only the highest standards of sportsmanship and conduct are expected of players, coaches, and others involved in the game. There is no place for unfair tactics, unsportsmanlike conduct, or actions deliberately designed to inflict harm.

Penalites

Offensive Penalties

Offense Assessed Result
False Start Line of Scrimmage Loss of Down
Illegal Formation/Shift/Motion Line of Scrimmage Loss of Down
Offsides Line of Scrimmage Loss of Down
Delay of Game Line of Scrimmage Loss of Down
Illegal Forward Pass Line of Scrimmage Loss of Down


Defense Penalties

Defense Assessed Result
Encroachment 5 Yards Repeat Down
Offsides 5 Yards Repeat Down
Illegal Blitzing 15 Yards First Down
Unnecessary Roughness 15 Yards First Down



  • Offensive hands to the face: Loss of down
  • Defensive hands to the face: 5-yard penalty, first down
  • Offensive delay of game: 5-yard penalty unless occurs at 40-yard line, then loss of down
  • Defensive delay of game: 5-yard penalty, first down
  • If offense commits two consecutive delay of game penalties, change of possession occurs and opposing defense is awarded 2 points
  • If offense commits delay of game penalty in final five minutes of playoff game, game clock stops until next snap

What Qualifies as Delay of Game:

  • Offense taking more than 25 seconds to snap ball once referee marks it ready for play
  • Quarterback throwing ball well after play is blown dead
  • More than 7 players on the field for either the offense or defense
  • Delay by either offense or defense in retrieving and returning the ball to referee
  • Throwing or launching ball into the air
  • Offensive personal foul: 15-yard penalty, loss of down
  • Defensive personal foul: 15-yard penalty, first down
  • Offensive personal foul on turnover/other change of possession: 15-yard penalty for opponent’s offense
  • Defensive personal foul on turnover/other change of possession: Loss of down for their offense
  • Offensive personal foul after touchdown is scored: Lose PAT chance

What Qualifies as a Personal Foul:

  • Excessive force, such as shoving, pushing or striking a blow on an opposing player
  • Defensive player diving at an offensive player
  • Unnecessary or avoidable contact with another player
  • Directly taunting an opposing player, coach or spectator — some trash talk is OK, but keep it clean!
  • Excessive celebration after any play — anything that disrupts flow of game and instigates opposing players or coaches
  • Kicking or punting the ball (unless done with intent to give to referee or field monitor)
  • Tackling or running into a receiver when a forward pass obviously is underthrown or overthrown is disregarding the ball and is illegal
  • Coaches that need to have conversations with officials about specific rulings within the game must do so from the Team Area. Coaches are encouraged not to enter the field of play or leave the Team Area to debate officiating decisions, and those that do so will have committed an automatic Unsportsmanlike Conduct Foul

Appeals/Roster Request:

  • Appeals are not permitted during pool play games, all questions and interpretations may be brought up to a field monitor for any explanation needed
  • In playoffs, teams must use their timeout to appeal a rule interpretation or penalty enforcement. If the appeal is successful, then timeout will be rewarded back. If the appeal is not successful, then the timeout will not be rewarded back
  • In playoffs, field monitor can stop clock in game and discuss referees’ ruling with them at their discretion
  • All appeals and roster protests must come from coaches, not players
  • Requests for roster protests are allowed at any time. Coaches must notify officials and the field monitor before or during the game. Coaches are limited to protesting 1-3 players. The game will continue without interruption as tournament staff officials review the rosters. If the protest is successful, the opposing team will forfeit the game with a score of 28-0. If the protest is unsuccessful, the game will be recorded as is. Roster protests requested after the game will not be permitted

Event Conduct:

  • No fighting will be tolerated. Any player who initiates a fight where a punch is thrown with an open or closed hand will be immediately ejected from the tournament
  • No players are to leave the sideline and enter the field if a fight breaks out during a game. Those players will be immediately ejected from the current game and subject to ejection from the tournament
  • Parents and fans are to remain away from the bench area of teams. Any parent who instigates a fight with an opposing player or coach will be removed from the event and team may be subject to ejection from event. Sidelines are to remain clear of any non-banded personnel

    • Any parent or fan entering the field of play during a game for any reason (except injury) will be immediately ejected from the event and the team may be ejected from the tournament

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