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, 2023 applies to each division all season — no exceptions)
• Wear a wristband with correct event name (“Houston”, “Louisville”, 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

• Concussion Protocol: Medical assessment will be conducted by the Eventus Medical Director and 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
• 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 more than two additional offensive players can be on field during play, and they must stay on one knee (first infraction is a warning, second infraction will result in a Delay of Game penalty for offense)
• Subbing players must remain 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage
• 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, field monitor chooses team to call the coin toss, only players can call toss
• For each playoff game, higher seeded team decides who has possession first

Referees & Field Monitors:

• Each game will have at least two referees (one referee keeping official game time, one referee tracking score and quarterback’s 4 seconds time to throw via handheld timer) and one field monitor (keeping the official score)
• Referees responsible for making decisions and rules on each play and announcing score changes, field monitor responsible for ensuring order and proper time flow of game, tracking runs and blitzes, hearing disputes on rulings after completion of pool play games and intervening in any rules discrepancies during playoff games

First Downs:

• Fields are 40 yards in length, first downs are at 25-yard line and 10-yard line
• Offense has three downs to get a first down (at 25-yard line or 10-yard line) or score a touchdown (if at or inside the 10-yard line)

Scoring:

• 6 points for offensive touchdown (no defensive touchdown)
• 1 point for PAT conversion from 5-yard line
• 2 points for PAT conversion from 10-yard line
• 2 points for a defensive stop
• 3 points for a defensive interception
• 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 field monitor
• Quarterback has 4 seconds to throw a pass or hand off ball to running player UNLESS the defense blitzes, in which case the quarterback can throw at any time
• 4-second time window is tracked by referee and digital quarterback ball tee (if available), if quarterback is still holding ball after 4 seconds, play is dead
• In playoffs, each team gets one 30-second timeout per game
• If time expires when touchdown is scored, offense is permitted to have PAT chance

Inadvertent Whistle:

• Any inadvertent whistle (whistle accidentally blown during play that was meant to continue) results in dead ball and down is replayed
• If inadvertent whistle occurs under 2 minutes in playoff games, clock stops until down is replayed
• If inadvertent whistle occurs at end of regulation, there is untimed replay of down
• If inadvertent whistle occurs on any play of overtime, ball is dead and play is redone

Ties:

• No overtime in pool play games, if score is tied at end of regulation, result is a tie for both teams
• In playoff games, if score is tied at end of regulation, overtime is played and referee selects which team calls coin toss
• Coin toss winner selects whether to play offense or defense first, order switches for each subsequent possession (if team wins coin toss and elects to go on offense first, they then go second if score is still tied after one set of possessions)
• Offense and defense have alternating possessions, if one team has higher score at end of a possession it wins the game
• Ball starts at the 10-yard line for each possession, offense has three attempts to score a touchdown
• Only offensive scoring counts in overtime, no points awarded for defensive stops or interceptions
• On first possession for each offense, PAT attempt can be from either 5-yard line (1 point possible) or 10-yard line (2 points possible); for second possession and all others, PAT attempt must be from 10-yard line

Offense:

• All offensive formations must be legal sets — at least two receivers on 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
• If the offense runs after already using their one run, it is a loss of down
• All passes must be thrown forward by the quarterback, if quarterback throws laterally to a receiver behind line of scrimmage it counts as a run play
• Reception occurs when offensive player possesses ball with at least one step inbounds
• Snaps must be performed by a player, coaches are not allowed to initiate play
• A muffed snap by the quarterback prior to throwing a pass is not a fumble. The quarterback has all 4 seconds to attempt a pass, run, or hand off ball to running player
• If an offensive player fumbles the ball, the play is blown dead where the ball is fumbled
• No blocking permitted, result of play is offensive holding penalty and loss of down
• Laterals are not permitted after 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 previous scrimmage spot or new scrimmage spot, any deliberate attempt by offense to impede spot results in delay of game penalty

Defense:

• It is the defense’s responsibility to avoid 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, defense can blitz as many players as they want
• 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 in-between plays and after the game has ended
• No excessive celebration can occur directly in front of opposing players, coaches or spectators. Actions of taunting and disrespect will be assessed as a 15-yard personal foul
• Only the highest standads 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

Penalties:

• Offensive false start: Loss of down
• Offensive off-sides: Loss of down
• Defensive off-sides: 5-yard penalty, replay down unless penalty yardage reaches first down
• Defense provoking offensive players to move before snap, such as flinching, imitating snap count or clapping will result in a 5-yard penalty
• Offensive holding: Loss of down
• Defensive holding: 5-yard penalty, first down
• Defensive player is allowed initial disruptive contact against offensive player at line of scrimmage but will be assigned a 5-yard holding penalty if there is prolonged or excessive contact after disruption, and if contact includes shoving, pushing or striking a blow against another player, a 15-yard personal foul penalty will be assessed instead of the 5-yard holding penalty
• Offensive pass interference: Loss of down
• Defensive pass interference outside endzone: 15-yard penalty, first down
• Defensive pass interference inside endzone: First down on 1-yard line
• Ineligible receiver downfield: Loss of 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:

• In pool play, coach’s request to appeal a ruling made in a game must be made to that game’s field monitor within 10 minutes after the game has ended, no in-game appeals are permitted
• In playoffs, field monitor can stop clock in game and discuss referees’ ruling with them at their discretion
• All appeals must come from coaches, not players

Balls:

• All Wilson game balls will be provided by Legends Showcase referees and field monitors for each game. No other balls may be used for games, any balls can be used for teams to practice with

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