2023 ROCKY MOUNTAIN 7V7 RULES:

General Rules

• Games are played on a 40 yard field + 10 yard end-zone.
• Mouthpieces are REQUIRED for all players, soft helmets STRONGLY recommended. We have mouthpieces for sale if you forget, but refs can remove player from game if they are not wearing one.
• Each team plays 3 seeding games to determine placement in the double elimination bracket. (Or single elimination for 1-day tournaments)
• Teams will provide their own ball, any size is allowed.
• You need at least 7 players, you can have as many as you want, however the winning team will receive up to 15 player prizes and 4 coaches prizes. 
• Teams should all have the same color shirt/jersey. We advise bringing an alternate white jersey in the case you play a team with the same color jersey.
• To begin or at change of possession, the ball is always placed at the 40 yard-line. 
• 1 coach is allowed on the field in the offensive huddle, but not on defense.
• 7th grade + teams are allowed to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage (LOS) for the first 5 yards, 6th and below are bump one time and release.
• One hand touch is sufficient to down the ball carrier.
• One Rush/run play per game is allowed per team. 
• Only forward passes are allowed to advance the ball. (No backward passes)
• Motion penalties are the same as normal football.
• QB can take snap off T if they have one, or center can snap the ball to begin play but is not an eligible receiver, or QB can just start with the ball at the LOS 
• Offense has 5 eligible receivers. You cannot start a play with 5 receivers on one side of the ball, must be legal football formations.
• QB has 4 seconds to throw the ball or it counts as a sack, ball placed at original LOS. Play is dead on a sack, no INT’s allowed after 4 seconds. 
• 4 second call:  The ref will start clock on snap, when the ball is released the they click stop on the watch, but keep they will watch the play. At the conclusion of the play they will check the watch to assure that the play went off within the 4 second time frame. If not, at that time they will call sac and the play will be void. Parents or coaches counting on the sideline does not change the stopwatch/timer used. 
• Clock will run continuously for 20 minutes during games. There are no timeouts. Only the ref can stop the clock for injury where a player cannot get off the field, etc.  
• Teams have 40 seconds between plays. Delay of game is a loss of down. Timer starts at conclusion of previous play.
• Each defense is allowed to blitz one time per game.
• You can blitz from anywhere on line, as many players as you want. 
• If defense is showing blitz and the offense is able to draw them offsides with their count, that eliminates their 1 blitz.
• If offense reads the blitz, they can hurry and implement shotgun as long as the play is made within the 40 second play clock.
• Defensive pass interference and holding penalties are 5 yard penalty + replay down. 
• All offensive penalties are loss of down. Blocking is not allowed, loss of down.
• Tackling or any play where it’s determined a player intentionally took down a player will result in a an automatic first down. Two such penalties to same player will result in ejection. It is the refs discretion whether it was incidental contact both going for the ball or if it was intentional and excessive force. (not the parents, coaches and players)
• Fumbled snap can be picked up and played (within 4 seconds), fumble after catch is dead ball.
• In the event of a tie during seeding, the game will end resulting in a tie. There will be NO overtime play during seeding.
• During elimination games, OVERTIME IS: Longest yard scenario. Each team gets one play from the 40, the team with the longest pass play wins. An interception ends the game. If neither team makes a completion. This continues until there is a winner. This has to be a pass play. You cannot use your run in overtime. It's longest pass play. You can however use your blitz if it's still remaining in OT.
• In the event of a forfeit during seeding, the score will be entered as 6-0.
• ABSOLUTELY NO FIGHTING- we have the right to remove players, coaches, parents or teams as a whole from tournament if there is fighting. Zero tolerance. This goes for parents. Coaches please help us by controlling your sidelines. Make sure parents know that if they fight, the entire team is subject to removal. 

Scoring

Touch downs = 7pts automatic
you can attempt a 2 pt conversion from the 10 YL,
if unsuccessful, TD is worth 6pts,
if successful TD is worth 8 pts. 
Interceptions = 2 pts (even on the extra point)

1st Downs:

From the 40,
teams will have three downs to get the ball to 25,
three downs to get to the 10,
and FOUR downs to score once inside the 10.

* For double elimination brackets (2-day tournaments), Brackets are double elimination until you get to the championship game, and then it’s winner take all. There will not be a 2nd game if loser of championship game comes from the winner bracket. Championship game will determine tournament winner. (This was something coaches in the championship brackets voted on a few years ago)

Rules subject to change 

 

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