Penalties

First and foremost we assume and expect that players play fairly and with good sportsmanship always as the top priority. We also self-referee - if you make a mistake and commit a penalty, just say so. It creates at a good 'fair-play' atmosphere which will be returned in kind.

Additionally, if someone fouls you - wait half a second before calling it. Was it really a penalty that affected the game? Were you really fouled, or are you just pissed off that that you dropped that pass?

Penalties Against the Offense

PenaltyDistanceFromNotes
Illegal Forward Pass4 paces SpotLoss of Down
Holding8 paces LOSReplay Down
Illegal block (in the back, below waist) 8 paces LOS
Illegal downfield block/holding/offensive pass interference*8 paces LOSReplay Down
Pass to ineligible Lineman4 paces LOSLoss of Down
Illegal procedure (illegal hike; formation etc.)4 paces LOSDead Ball Foul
Offsides(do-over)LOSDead Ball Foul
Delay of Game (too much time in the huddle/re-huddling)4 paces LOSDead Ball Foul
*(see below on pass interference)

Penalties Against The Defense

PenaltyDistanceFROmNoteS
Pass Interference*/Holding 8 paces SpotAuto 1st down
False tag 15 paces LOSPlay is whistled dead. Auto 1st down
Illegal Tag (grabbing shirt, etc)8 pacesSpotAuto 1st down
Blatant grabbing/tackling 15 paces SPOT AUTO 1st Down
Illegal Blitz (blitzing twice in series; blitzing w/out proper number of players - uneven rules; blitzing w/out yelling "Blitz", etc. )8 paces LOSReplay The Down, loss of Blitz
Offsides(do-over)LOSReplay Down
Delay of Game (not spotting ball quickly in hurry-up) 4 paces LOSDead Ball Foul

*(see below on pass interference)

Kickoff Penalties

PenaltyDistanceFROMNotes
Kickoff goes out of bounds twice in a row Ball placed 15 yards fromKicking Spot
Illegal Block (in the back, In the legs etc.) 8 Paces Spot

General

Un-sportsmanlike behavior; Unnecessary roughness; tackling, or otherwise being a meathead: 15 paces plus automatic first down (if against defense); 15 paces and loss of down (if against offense). (Possible expulsion from the game and/or league)

Pass Interference In The OFL

Pass interference is easily the most difficult penalty in football to get right. In the OFL, we try to simplify things. Actually, in terms of rules I believe that basketball rules apply better to the OFL than current NFL rules. Therefore:

  1. Contact downfield is not forbidden, provided the contact does not realistically stop an opposing player from getting to the ball. This would include knocking them down; grabbing them; pushing them away; or whacking at their arms/hands. Contact between players who are aggressively going at the ball is legal.
  2. An offensive player cannot run into a defender who is standing still, in an effort to go through him, even to catch a pass. In this instance we consider that a "charge". On the other hand a defender cannot purposely set up a block, to prevent the receiver from getting to a pass.
  3. An offensive player cannot push off an opposing player in such a way that moves that the push sends the player in a different direction.