Football Rules

Southside Catholic Conference

Football Rules

The SCC Football program will be governed by the football rules of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) except as noted on this and following pages.  The Conference will have a league for 5th–6th grade teams (referred to as 6th grade teams) and another league for 7th-8th grade teams (referred to as 8th grade teams.)

  1. Divisions:  (updated 6/19/2008)

Schools will be assigned to divisions based on the combined record of both the 8th and 6th grade teams from the two prior years. The most recent year will be a tie breaker and the year before that will be the second tie breaker.  The school with the best combined record will be seeded as #1 in the Red Division.  The school with the second best combined record will be seeded as #1 in the White Division.  The school with the third best combined record will be seeded as #2 in the Red Division, and so on until all teams are seeded.  School’s divisions may be switched with ties and lowest seed in order to even out home games.

  1. Rosters and First Weigh-in:  (updated 6/19/2008)

At the time of the first weigh-in, a roster of all players must be submitted to the Football Commissioner, in duplicate.  These rosters must be signed by the school principal, who will verify the enrollment of players on the roster.  Religious Education Program (REP) players must be indicated on the roster in the last column marked REP on the appropriate line adjacent to their namw by entering, “REP.”  Players must wear their game jerseys to the weigh-in.

The football commissioner will supply each team with all rosters.  Each team will be responsible for having a copy of their team and opponent’s roster at their games.  These rosters will list each player with jersey number and weight.  The rosters will be in numerical order.

  1. Age Limits:

Students are ineligible to play football after reaching their 15th birthday (8th grade team) or their 13th birthday (6th grade team.)

  1. Age and REP Violation Penalties:

All players must be full-time students of the school they represent or they must be a registered REP student in the Parish and meet all requirements.  Violation of player eligibility will result in forfeiture of games to that point.  Furthermore, any coach who is guilty of such violation will be suspended from SCC participation for at least one year.  Please note that a violation of this rule occurs when an ineligible player has been dressed for the game.  The player need not actually play to violate this rule.

  1. Weigh-ins:  (updated 6/19/2008)

Weigh-ins will take place before the first game of the season and before the beginning of playoffs.  All players within fifteen (15) pounds of the “striper weight” must be weighed on the first weigh-in date, and any player within ten (10) pounds of the “striper weight” must be weighed on the second weigh-in date.  Failure to make the weigh-in will mean that the player will be striped until the next weigh-in.  Each player will have only one attempt to make the appropriate weight at the allotted time with the player’s team.  The weigh-in schedule will be distributed by the Football Commissioner.

  1. Weight Rules:

Any player weighing 100 pounds or more for a 6th grade team and any player weighing 140 pounds or more for an 8th grade team will be designated by a stripe of contrasting color around the helmet.  The stripe must be clearly distinguishable, a minimum of one inch thick and applied in a circular fashion (earhole to earhole, front and back.)

Stripers MAY NOT:

o   Line up as an uncovered lineman (the last player on the end of the line of scrimmage), be the outside player on the kicking team and may only line up on the interior of the front line on the receiving team.

o   Play off the line on defense (i.e., as a linebacker.)

o   Line up in the offensive backfield, except as a kicker.

o   Advance the ball other than by kicking (i.e., may not run the ball on fake punts or PAT’s.)

o   Line up in the backfield during a planned fake punt or PAT.

The penalty on offense is ILLEGAL PROCEDURE.  The penalty on defense is ENCROACHMENT.

Stripers MAY:

o   Punt or attempt a PAT kick, but may not attempt to advance the ball by running or passing.  The referee’s judgment will determine the attempt or lack of attempt to advance the ball during broken plays.

o   Catch or down a punt or kickoff.

o   Intercept a pass or recover a fumble, but may never advance the ball.

o   If a striper catches a kick or a punt and inadvertently advances the ball, no penalty is assessed.  The ball will be spotted at the point of the catch.

  1. Home Teams:

Home teams will be designated on the league schedule.  A representative of the home team will call the final score before 8:00 PM on Sunday.  The scores must be reported by an adult representative of the home team to the SCC Football Hotline.

  1. Equipment:

Yard sticks and down markers are to be provided by the home team.  Yard chains and down markers will be kept on the home team’s side of the field for the entire game.

  1. Side Line Ropes:

Each team must furnish restraining ropes stretching the entire 120 yards length of the playing field.  Such ropes will be at least 5 yards back from the sidelines.  Each team will have the responsibility of assuring these lines are not violated.  The violation for failure to comply with the restraining ropes rule by not having it in place at the start of the game or not extending it the entire length of the field will result in a 15 yard penalty at the start of the game for improper ropes.  Special Note: Current IHSA rules give officials the authority to levy penalties to any team whose players, coaches, staff or followers enter the playing area without permission of the official, or otherwise interfere with play.

  1. Conduct:

Referee will report to the Conference Executive Director all flagrant violations including, but not limited to, deliberate grabbing of the face masks and/or throwing dirt in an opponent’s face.  A player reported twice for this offense will automatically be ejected from the game and suspended for the next game, including playoffs.  As stated in the SCC Rules for Coaches, “All referees will give warnings, when possible, before ejecting individuals from conference events.  Any coach, player or spectator ejected from an event will also be ineligible to participate in their next conference event, including playoffs.”  The Conference Executive Director may recommend other penalties for inappropriate conduct to the Executive Board.

  1. General Game Rules:

Games will be played with footballs furnished by the conference.  Smaller balls will be used for the 6th grade games.  Teams will be allowed free substitution.  Jersey numbering by position is recommended, but not required.  Mouthpieces are mandatory for all players.

  1. Time Rules:

All games will be played in four 10 minute quarters.  Each team will be allowed three timeouts per half.  The referees will give warnings with 4 minutes and 2 minutes remaining in both halves.

  1. Sideline Area:

Coaches and team members must remain between the 35-yard lines.  Conversation will be allowed between coaches and players during game time from a distance only (i.e., no huddles between coaches and players.)  During timeouts, only one coach may huddle with the players on the field.

  1. Point After Touchdown:

PAT will be scored as 2 points for a kick and 1 point for a run or pass.  The PAT will start at the 3-yard line. 

  1. Penalty Yardage for Flagrant Fouls:  (updated 6/19/2008)

Fifteen (15) yard penalties will be assessed only for flagrant fouls.  Specifically, flagrant fouls are, but not limited to, 1) spearing, 2) flagrant face-masking violations, 3) fighting and 4) piling on.  All other major penalties will be assessed 10 yards. 

Horse collar penalties will be assessed a ten (10) yard penalty.  A player penalized twice for this offense in a single game will automatically be ejected and suspended for the next game, including playoffs.

  1. Shoes:

Cleated shoes are permitted, provided they are made of pliable material molded in one piece with the sole of the shoe.  A player found to be in violation of this rule will be ejected for the remainder of the game.

  1. Game Tie Breakers:

No game may end in a tie.  In the event of a tie score at the end of regulation play, each team will be given a set of downs from the ten-yard line.  The referee will determine the end of the field to be used.  Possession will be decided by the flip of a coin.  If the score remains tied, the procedure will be repeated until the ties are broken.  Both touchdowns and extra points will be counted.  One time-out will be allowed on offense and one will be allowed on defense.  Consecutive time-outs are not permitted.  No time-outs will be carried over from the game.  Field goals will count in every overtime period.  Defense may not score in overtime

  1. Protests:

A protest must be first registered with the game officials at the time of the protested action and before the next scrimmage play.  A final written protest must then follow to the Executive Director of the Conference.  A fee of $20.00 must accompany all formal protests.  This fee will be refunded if the protest is allowed.

The Executive Board will judge all protests.  A check on weight or age violation will not be considered a formal protest.  Weight or age checks must be arranged through the Football Commissioner

  1. Season Standing Tie Breaker:

If teams are tied for any of the first through fourth places at the end of the regular season, the winner of the regularly scheduled game between the teams involved in the tie will be assigned the higher standing.  Unresolved ties in the league standings at the end of the year will be broken by using the following criteria in order: 1) head-to-head competition; then 2) a coin toss as determined by the Football Commissioner 

  1. Playoffs:

The SCC Football Commissioner will determine sites for all playoff games.  The first round of the playoffs will be cross-divisions, with the first place team in the Red Division playing the fourth place team in the White Division.  The Championship Game will take place on the third weekend of the playoffs.
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