Co-Ed Rules
NIRSA Tournament Rule Differences
Men's NIRSA Flag Football games are played with 7 players. 4 players must be on the line to legally snap the ball.
Co-Recreational games are played with 8 players keeping the number of men and women equal within 1, ex. 4 men and 3 women, not 5 men and 2 women. 6 players, 4 men and 2 women or vise versa, can be used to start the game and avoid a forfeit. 5 players must be on the line to legally snap the ball. It is important to think of the line of scrimmage as a glass plane when officiating co-rec games.
A male player may not advance the ball through the plane until it has been broken. There are no restrictions once the ball has passed the scrimmage line, a female is running the ball, or there has been a team change of possession.
The term “closed” means that a male player may NOT throw a legal forward pass completion to another male. The term “open” means any player can complete a legal forward pass to any other player. Penalties do not change the open or closed status of a play.
There may never be 2 consecutive legal forward pass completions from a male passer to a male receiver. If a male passes to a male receiver for positive yards, the next play will be closed.
The play will remain closed until a female passes to a male, a male passes to a female, or a female passes to a female for positive yards.
A legal forward pass caught simultaneously by a male and female is considered a female reception.
If a female scores a touchdown, it will be worth 9 points followed by the try for point. If a female player throws a touchdown it is also worth 9 points.
The game will be decided by the Mercy Rule if a team is ahead by 25 or more points at or within the 2 minute warning.
Punting
Use of Punts at NIRSA Tournaments
Punting is a special situation in flag football. All punts must be declared and the punting team is given a free opportunity to kick. A punt may be declared on any down.
The decision to kick may be changed if:
(a) a time out is called
(b) the period ends
(c) there is a penalty that gives the punting team the right to repeat the down.
The Referee must announce to all players that a punt is being declared.
Neither the Kicking team or Receiving team may advance beyond their line of scrimmage prior to the ball crossing the line of scrimmage after the kick (5 yard penalty). All normal scrimmage line rules apply as well.
After receiving the snap, the kicker must punt the ball immediately in a continuous motion (5 yard penalty).
The Receiving team may attempt to block the kick from their own scrimmage line.If the ball contacts a player and then hits the ground, it is declared dead at the spot.
The Kicking team can only recover the ball if it first touches a Receiving team player and is then caught in the air by the Kicking team. If the ball comes to rest before touching any players, the Kicking team may `down' the ball by touching it first. However, the Receiving team has the option to either take the ball at the spot or they may pick the ball up and attempt to return it.
The Kicking team may only make a play for the ball if there are no Receiving team players in the area (Kick Catch Interference, 10 yards replay the down or the Receiving Team may take the ball from the spot it was marked dead).
If the punt goes out of bounds in the air, it is the Referee's responsibility to know the spot where it left play. They will chop the nearest official in at the spot as they move towards it.
Positioning on a Punt Play
The Field Judge will line up 30 to 35 yards downfield prior to the punt. The Back Judge will line up on the LJ's side parallel to the deepest back. Do not get caught in the middle of the play. The ball and receivers are primarily the BJ's responsibility, with assistance from the FJ.
Additional Information:
