Passball RULES

Introduction

Passball is played with a football on a standard football field (where football means "American football", not "soccer"). 

It is intended as a game where all participants engage in throwing, catching, and kicking a football - as opposed to touch or flag football, where only a few players have the opportunity to do each.  

It is also intended to provide more continuous game play - as opposed to the start and stop action of other forms of football.  

It is a non-contact game and equal, non-specialized participation of all players in every aspect of the game is encouraged.  

(The abbreviation AIRF, meaning “as in regular football” is used in throughout these rules.)

AIRF, the objective is to score points by making touchdowns or kicking field goals.  

The ball can only be advanced by passing - there is no forward progression of the ball by running.

Defensively, there is no tagging, touching or pass rush at any point in the game.

Definitions 

Passer

The player currently in possession of the ball.  A player is designated the passer the instant they catch a pass, kickoff, punt or interception.

Receiver

Any player on the offensive team other than the passer.

Defender

Any player on the defensive team.

Zone

The area between any two adjacent five-yard line markers.

Live Zone

The zone the passer is currently in.

Line of Scrimmage

The boundary of the Live Zone closest to the opponent’s end zone. For example, if a player catches a ball anywhere between their own 20 and 25 yard line, the line of scrimmage is now the 25 yard line. When the live zone is the one closest to the opponent’s end zone, the goal line is considered the line of scrimmage.

Onside Start

Signifying the start of play after a timeout, turnover on downs or missed kick where all receivers start behind the line of scrimmage and all defensive players are on the opposite side. There is no onside start after penalties or incompletions.

Offside Start

The start of play, usually after an incompletion or penalty, where the receivers are not required to line up onside. They can be anywhere on the field and in motion at any time.

Onside pass

A completed pass to a receiver who is not beyond the line of scrimmage. An onside pass does not result in a first down, nor does it cost a down. 

For example, if an onside pass is completed on second down, it is still second down for the new passer. The official should indicate that an onside pass has been made by calling out “second down”.  

Anyone receiving an onside pass is not eligible to punt.

Series

AIRF, the continuous series of plays where one team is in uninterrupted possession of the ball.  

Possession changes on an interception, punt, loss of downs, missed field goal or after a score.

Timeout 

A designated stop in play. 

• Each team while on offence is allowed one 30-second timeout per series, which can be called at any time, including during a play.  

• Each team while on defense can call one 30-second timeout per half - but only during a stoppage in play.

• All timeouts can be called by any player on the field.

• Unused timeouts cannot be carried forward.  

• Passers cannot be changed during a timeout, but other substitutions are allowed.

• Play is resumed with an onside start after a timeout.  

• Start of play is signified by the passer calling “Go”.  

• The passer is given a new 10 seconds to throw.

"Go"

Designated term called by the passer to indicate start of play following a stoppage of play.  

• It can be preceded by other signals or audibles, but there is no silent snap count. 

• The passer simply holds the ball while calling Go, there is no snap off of the ground.

• The passer can be anywhere behind the line of scrimmage, but must be standing still until it has been called.  

• The “Go” call must be loud enough for most players on the field to hear it.

Player rotation

An ordered list of players on each team is randomly drawn before the start of the game.  At least one official should carry the rotation list during game play.

• The rotation is used to determine the starters, order of kicking and substitutions.  

• The first N players whose names are drawn start the game (N can be chosen according to the total number of players available).  

• When the bottom of the list, is reached it reverts to the top and, barring injury, does not change during the game.

• Players are not allowed to skip or miss their turn to kick unless they are on the bench - in which case they are allowed to skip their turn to kickoff. 

• If a player is on the bench when it is their turn to kick a convert or field goal, they must come on for that play only.  Because these plays are dead, there is no need for another player to go off.

• It is the officials' responsibility to keep track of player rotation and inform the teams who is next in the order.

Substitutions

Substitution rules are intended to discourage any specializing of players to certain positions or game situations.

• Substitutions are to be made according to the player rotation.  The players at the top of the list going off first for the next in line not currently on the field.

• All subs must check in and out with the ref in order to ensure they follow the rotation.

• Players must be on the field for at least one offensive and defensive series before substituting.  

• Subs can be made on any designated stoppage of play.

• The current passer may not substitute off. 

Stoppage of Play

The official signifies stoppage of play by blowing a whistle on:

• Incomplete passes

• Timeouts

• Turnover on downs

• Declared field goal attempts

• Penalties

• After a scoring play

The time clock is also stopped and restarted on the next “Go”. There is no stoppage of play on completed passes unless a penalty has occurred.

Game play

AIRF, kickoff and choice of ends are chosen by a coin toss.

Kickoff 

• The game starts with the first player on the kicking team's rotation kicking the ball off a tee from the XX yard line.  

• AIRF, all players on the kicking team must be onside at the time the ball is kicked. 

• There is no minimum required distance for kicks.

• The kicking team is not permitted to recover the ball. 

• The receiving team can be no closer than 10 yards from the kickoff line.

• Possession starts in the zone where the receiving team either catches or otherwise gains control of the ball, or where the ball stops - not when it is tipped or mishandled.  

• The first passer is either the player who catches the kick, or who picks up a ball that has stopped moving on the ground. The time count does not start until a player touches the ball.

Should the ball go into the end zone on any kickoff or punt, the receiving team has the option of starting play where it is caught OR taking possession with an onside start at the XX yard line.  

• The line of scrimmage is the goal line, and the passer is allowed to take a full 10 seconds to either attempt a pass or kneel down.  

• If the pass from the end zone is incomplete, the receiving team no longer has an option to take a knee - it counts as a regular down, and the line of scrimmage remains the same.  

• Should the kick go out of bounds on either sideline, the receiving team is given an onside start one zone ahead of that point.

Passing

• Upon catching a pass, kick or interception the receiver is instantly designated as the passer and is eligible to attempt a pass.  

• Passer must remain behind the line of scrimmage of the zone in which they caught the ball but, is free to move about anywhere else. 

• A pass can be overhand, underhand or anything other than a direct handoff.

• Passer has ten seconds to advance the ball by attempting to pass it to a teammate in any direction, anywhere on the field.  

• Passer has three chances (downs) to complete a successful pass.  

• Receivers must be at least three yards away from the passer in all directions to discourage bucket-line types of plays, and give the defender a reasonable opportunity to cover them.  

• Passer cannot pass to themself, but can catch a tipped ball.

• AIRF, anyone catching the ball must have or land with at least one foot fully in bounds for the catch to be complete.  

• If a pass is caught out of bounds, it is considered incomplete. 

• If a pass is caught with both feet not clearly in one zone, the active zone is now considered the one furthest away from the opponent’s goal line.  

• If a player's momentum takes them into an adjacent zone downfield in the process of catching the ball, the active zone will be the one where they first made contact with the ball.

• Any player successfully catching the ball instantly becomes the passer, and the previous passer is an eligible receiver. It is considered a first down unless it was an onside pass, and the process repeats. 

• Play does not stop unless a timeout is called.

• If the ball is intercepted, the other team gains possession and the interceptor is now the passer. There is no stop in play and they can immediately attempt to pass to teammates from the current zone.

• After an incomplete pass, the ball is recovered by and returned to the official closest to the passer. Official calls out “second down” or “third down” as appropriate, and gives the ball to the passer in the same zone.  

• Passer cannot move or pass until they shout “Go”, which they must do within five seconds, signifying the start of play.  

• All other players are free to move anywhere and do not need to reset onside. 

• Passer is allowed to deliberately ground the ball by placing it on the field, which is treated as an incomplete pass. Passer is not allowed to delay the game by throwing it to any area where there is no receiver.

Punting

• On any down, but particularly the third, the passer may want to take the option of punting the ball to the other team at any time within the 10 seconds allowed.

• There is no rotation of punters.

• On an onside pass the receiver is not eligible to punt.

• There is no declaration of the intent to punt as there is on a field goal.

• The punting team’s players do not need to be onside during the punt, but they cannot in any way interfere with anyone receiving the punt.

• The punter cannot cross or touch the line of scrimmage.

• There is no stoppage of play after a punt unless a timeout or penalty is called.

• If the offensive team do not punt and a third pass attempt fails, there is a stop in play and the other team gains possession in the zone adjacent to the previous line of scrimmage. The closest defending player, at the officials' discretion, becomes the passer with an onside start.

• When a punt goes in the end zone, the same rules apply as for kickoffs.

Field Goals

• The offensive team can attempt a field goal at any time during their possession.  

• This must be declared to the official - play is stopped and they are allowed 20 seconds to set up and attempt the kick.  

• The ball can be placed on a tee anywhere on or behind the line of scrimmage. 

• The kick must be attempted by the next player in the kicking rotation.  

• No player may stand in the way of the kicker.

• If the field goal is successful, 3 points are awarded and the offensive team kicks off.  

• If the field goal misses, the defensive team is awarded the ball at the line of scrimmage for an onside start.

Converts 

• When a team successfully catches the ball with both feet clearly in the opponent’s end zone, they score a touchdown worth 6 points.  

• The next player in the rotation can then attempt to convert the touchdown by kicking an uncontested field goal off a tee, from a distance of their choice.

• Points awarded for converts are based on the distance from which the kick is attempted - 1 point from the 15 yard line, 2 from the 25, 3 from the 35 and so on.

Officials

• Two officials should be adequate.  

• One official should always be on the line of scrimmage, and the other in the defensive backfield.  

• The official on the line of scrimmage is responsible for the time count and keeping track of downs and returning the ball to the passer on incomplete passes.

• Officials should switch positions as completed passes dictate.  

Penalties

• AIRF, penalties are indicated by throwing a flag at the time of the infraction and blowing the whistle on completion of the play. The team not committing the penalty has the option of accepting or declining them.

• To speed game play, officials can assume a penalty is accepted or declined when it is to the respective team's obvious advantage - such as on a scoring play. They can also make suggestions as to whether a penalty should be accepted or declined. 

Pass Interference

• AIRF, both offensive receivers and defenders are equally entitled to catch any pass.

• If a receiver is interfered with in the area of a catchable but incomplete pass, that team gets possession of the ball in that zone and the intended receiver is now the passer.  

• If a receiver is interfered with and still successfully catches the ball, it is advanced one zone from that point.  

• If the offensive player interferes with a possible reception by the defensive player, it can be ruled an interception if the ball was considered catchable or a one zone penalty to the offense if it was not.

• If there is defensive pass interference away from the area of an intended pass, the offense has the option of taking a one zone penalty with no loss of down.

• There shall be no screening plays or picks.  

• Deliberate contact with a receiver or defender is a penalty. Incidental contact is at the official’s discretion.

• Defenders are allowed to cover receivers in a manner so as to discourage the passer from throwing to them or to try and block or intercept a pass. They cannot hit or swing at the ball once the receiver has control in his hands.  

• Penalties called to the offensive team’s advantage when they are on their opponent’s goal line are awarded a first down rather than advancing the ball.  

• Penalties by the defense on successful touchdown plays are awarded one zone on the following kickoff.

Offside

• When the passer crosses the line of scrimmage.  

• When any offensive or defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage before the “Go” call on an onside start.

• Penalty is loss of one zone.  

• When the punter crosses the line of scrimmage in the act of kicking, the team receiving the ball is moved forward one zone.

Short Pass

• When a pass is completed to a receiver who is considered less than three yards away from the passer.    There is no short pass penalty on an incompletion.  

• Where practical and at the official's discretion they can stop play, pace out the distance of the pass and reverse the penalty if it is clearly determined to have been more than three yards.

• It is treated as an incompletion, counted as one down and the ball is returned to the original passer with no loss of yards.

Delay of game

Grounding

• The passer deliberately throwing the ball away from any receiver in a manner intended to stall the game during an incomplete pass. This can include very deep passes or out of bounds passes that are clearly uncatchable.

Time count violations

• When the passer has not passed the ball within the ten second time limit, play is stopped as if it were an incomplete pass. 

• When a team has not started play after a time out, or attempted a field goal within the allotted time.  

• It is the responsibility of the team calling the timeout or declaring a field goal attempt, not the official, to resume play within the allotted time.

• The official will call out “Five seconds” when there is five seconds left before the allotted time runs out.

Procedure Penalties

• The passer is not standing still while calling Go.

• Ineligible timeout: either the offensive or defensive team calling a time out when it has already used them up.

• Ineligible substitution

• Too many players on the field

• Kickoff out of bounds

Interference

• A defensive player physically or audibly interfering with the passer or someone kicking the ball.

Game time

• The clock is started with the kick of the ball and is stopped for penalties, timeouts and after scoring plays - it is not stopped on incomplete passes. The clock does not run during converts or field goal attempts.  

• At the end of the allotted time the referee calls “last series” and the team currently on offense is allowed to complete its possession regardless of how long it takes.  The game ends on a field goal, a touchdown (after which a convert is attempted), an interception, or loss of downs.  There are no timeouts after last series is called.

Adaptation for an unmarked field

When playing on an unmarked field the line of scrimmage is considered the imaginary line at the point where the player catches the ball.  The passer can move in any direction as long as they do not cross that line, but is allowed one foot to be on or over the line if in the act of throwing.

Penalties are five yards rather than one zone.

Converts and field goals should be paced off from the goal line.

Where there are no goal posts, passing converts can be attempted from the 5, 10 or 15 yard line for 1, 2 or 3 points respectively.

Variations

Teams can agree to alter any or all rules based on prevailing conditions including the number of players, skill levels, field conditions, size of field, availability of officials etc.

This can include:

• The number of players on the field at any given time 

• When substitutions are allowed

• Times allowed for throwing the ball and time outs

• Allotted game time

• Kickoff and convert distances and points awarded

• Allowing converts and field goals to be punted

Suggested Strategies 

Audibles should be devised for both offense and defense. For example:

• Everyone go deep

• Everyone cross the middle

• Flood a particular zone

Use time between plays wisely - catch your breath, talk and call audibles for the next play.

There are times when you can get the ball to a player with a stronger throwing arm, such as onside passes or letting them recover a kick or punt.

On do-or-die type plays, hail Mary’s and the like late in the game, try an onside pass to a strong thrower then call a timeout to set up.

After kicking off, the kicking team should immediately run toward predetermined defensive assignments.  Remember that as soon as a player catches the kickoff, his teammates are eligible receivers.

Defense can be man to man, zone or a combination of the two. Audibles or signals should be used to make changes during play.

On offense playing quickly is to your advantage. The sooner you can catch and then throw the ball, the less time the defense has to set up. Running pre-set patterns can be used, but the basic rule is “get open”.

Timeouts should be used strategically, such as after a score, when a team needs a breather, or when in the red zone.

Players can be in motion in an onside start, but should be careful not to go offside.

Do not intercept a deep pass on a third down unless you can move quickly and use the play to your advantage.

Punts and kickoffs should be strictly for distance rather than hang time. 

When punting, clear all receivers to one side of the field then kick to the other.

Try to slow down or stop any low kicks bouncing along the ground.  Kicks that may roll into the end zone should not be touched.  

Spend a down and ground the ball if your players need to catch their breath. For full effect, have an audible such as “Breather” to indicate it so that your receivers stop running early. Use your full ten seconds then drop the ball, wait for the official to come and recover it, and wait the full five seconds before calling a “Go”. Remember however, that the defense is getting a rest too.

If a punt or kickoff goes in your end zone, it is to your advantage to take the full 10 seconds to decide whether or not to pass. You are also allowed to approach as close as you like to the goal line.