Flag football is football with the tackling taken out. Instead of bringing a player to the ground, the defense pulls a flag off their belt. That one change removes most of the contact, which is why it is the version of the game most kids start with — and why a parent can coach it after one weekend of reading.
Rules vary between leagues. Always check your own rulebook — this is what is true in most youth leagues.
Two teams take turns on offense. The offense has a set number of downs to move the ball, and a play ends when a defender pulls one of the ball carrier's flags, the ball carrier steps out of bounds, or the ball hits the ground. There are no tackles and, in most leagues, no blocking at all.
Most youth leagues play on a field about 30 yards wide and 70 yards long, with 10-yard end zones at each end. That is roughly half the width and half the length of a full football field, so it fits across a normal field's width and lets two games run side by side.
Most 5v5 leagues give the offense four downs to reach midfield. Reaching midfield earns a fresh set of four downs to score. If the offense does not reach midfield, the other team takes over from where the ball is.
A touchdown is 6 points. After a touchdown the offense picks an extra point try: 1 point from the 5-yard line or 2 points from the 10-yard line. A safety is 2 points, and an interception returned for a touchdown is 6.
A defender must pull the flag cleanly off the belt. Holding, pushing, or grabbing the jersey to slow a runner down is a penalty. The play is over the moment the flag comes off, and the ball is spotted where the ball carrier's feet were when it happened.
Flag guarding is when the ball carrier uses a hand, arm, or the ball to block a defender from reaching their flags — including stiff-arming or swatting a hand away. It is one of the most common penalties in youth flag, and it is worth teaching on day one: run with your hands up and away from your belt.
Many leagues mark a no-run zone in the five yards before each end zone and on either side of midfield. Inside those zones the offense has to pass — no handoffs or quarterback runs. It stops teams from simply powering the ball across the most important lines.
In most 5v5 rule sets, no. The quarterback has to hand off or throw. Once the ball has been handed off, whoever has it may run. This keeps the game from becoming one fast kid keeping the ball every play.
A defender who wants to rush the quarterback has to start at least seven yards behind the line of scrimmage, usually marked by a cone or called out by the referee. Everyone else has to wait until the ball has been handed off or thrown.
Generally not. There is no contact blocking. Players can screen — get in the way without initiating contact — but shoving, chopping, or leading with hands or shoulders is a penalty. This is the rule new coaches get wrong most often.
There are no live fumbles in most youth leagues. If the ball hits the ground the play is dead and the ball goes back to the spot where it was dropped, still with the offense. A backwards pass that hits the ground is dead at that spot too.
Takes the snap and either throws or hands off. In most leagues they cannot run the ball themselves, so their job is reading which receiver came open and getting rid of the ball quickly.
Coaching tip: Teach them to pick a first look and a second look before the snap. Two options decided in advance beats scanning all four receivers.
Snaps the ball to the quarterback, then becomes an eligible receiver. Because defenders often ignore them, the center is frequently the most open player on the field.
Coaching tip: Give the center a real route on at least a quarter of your plays. Once the defense has to respect it, everything else opens up.
Lines up on or near the line of scrimmage and runs a route. Most plays have three or four receivers running different routes at different depths.
Coaching tip: Routes only work if they are run at full speed to the exact depth. A slant broken off two yards early puts the receiver right back in the defender's lap.
Lines up behind or beside the quarterback. Takes handoffs on run plays and slips into the flat as a safety valve on passing plays.
Coaching tip: The running back is the answer to a heavy rush. If the defense sends everybody, a quick flip to the back in the flat turns their aggression into your first down.
The one defender allowed to chase the quarterback, starting seven yards off the line. Their job is to force a quick throw rather than to reach the quarterback every time.
Coaching tip: Rush under control and keep your hands down. A rusher who flies past the quarterback has taken themselves out of the play entirely.
Covers a receiver or a zone and pulls flags. In youth flag, defensive backs make most of the plays because almost every snap is a pass.
Coaching tip: Teach them to watch the receiver's belt, not the ball. Chasing the ball in the air is how a five-yard completion becomes a touchdown.
A formation is just where everyone stands before the snap. Each one below links to a play that uses it.
Three receivers stacked on one side. It forces the defense to decide whether to move extra players over, and whatever they do leaves something open on the other side.
See Trips Right Slant →Receivers split evenly across the whole width of the field. Great for teams with several kids who can catch, because it gives everyone room to work.
See Spread Four Verticals →Two or three receivers clustered tightly together. Defenders end up running into each other, which is exactly the point when you are facing man coverage.
See Bunch Right Mesh →Nobody in the backfield — everyone is out wide. The ball has to come out fast, which is useful when the rush keeps getting home.
See Empty Quick Outs →The running back lines up directly behind the quarterback. Signals a run, so it works best once you have made the defense worry about your passing game.
See Power Sweep Right →Two receivers on the same side with a single receiver opposite. A simple way to get two players attacking the same defender at different depths.
See Twins Left Flood →A route is the path a receiver runs after the snap. Almost every passing play is these shapes in a different arrangement, so a kid who knows six routes can run a hundred plays. Press Run it on any of them to watch the timing — including the throw going out before the receiver has finished the route.
Straight down the field as fast as they can go. The simplest route in football and the first one to teach.
Say it like this: “Run to the end and do not turn around until I yell.”
Works against: A defender who is slower than the receiver, or one who lines up too close to the line.
Three hard steps up the field, then cut in at an angle across the middle. The quickest way to get the ball out of the quarterback's hands.
Say it like this: “Three steps, then cut across on an angle. The ball is already coming.”
Works against: A defender playing off the line, and any coverage where nobody is standing in the middle.
Straight up the field, then a hard cut toward the sideline. Safe, because an overthrown ball goes out of bounds instead of to the other team.
Say it like this: “Get to the cone, plant, and run to the sideline.”
Works against: A defender lined up inside the receiver, and zone coverage that leaves the sideline open.
The mirror of an out — up the field, then a hard cut toward the middle. More room to run after the catch, and more traffic to run into.
Say it like this: “Get to the cone, plant, and run across the middle.”
Works against: A defender guarding the sideline, and any coverage with nobody sitting underneath.
Run up the field, stop, and turn back toward the quarterback. The route that beats a defender who keeps backing up.
Say it like this: “Run hard, stop, spin around and come back to the ball.”
Works against: A defender who turns and runs with the receiver, and zone coverage that drops deep.
Up the field, then an angled break toward the middle. Named for the goalpost, which is what the receiver runs at.
Say it like this: “Run at the defender, then take off at an angle for the middle.”
Works against: Man coverage with no help in the middle, and a defender who bites toward the sideline.
The opposite of a post — up the field, then an angled break out toward the corner. Away from every defender in the middle.
Say it like this: “Run at the defender, then take off at an angle for the corner.”
Works against: A defender guarding the middle, and any coverage with one deep safety.
Run deep like a go route, then break back down toward the sideline. Hard to defend and hard to throw — worth teaching once the basics land.
Say it like this: “Make them run, then stop and come back toward the sideline.”
Works against: A defender who has turned their back and is sprinting downfield.
Straight across the field just past the line, from one side to the other. The easiest completion in youth football.
Say it like this: “Run across the field and keep looking at the quarterback.”
Works against: Man coverage, because the defender has to fight through everyone else to follow.
Start flat toward the sideline like a short route, then turn and run straight up it. The route that punishes a defender for jumping the flat.
Say it like this: “Sell the short one, then turn and run up the line.”
Works against: A defender who jumps the short route, which at this age is most of them.
Five on five, usually a quarterback, a center, and three receivers. Keep the playbook to four or five plays and expect the center to be wide open constantly.
Adding a sixth player usually means a running back, which brings handoffs and sweeps into the game. This is the age where kids can handle a real route concept like a mesh.
Seven on seven fills the field out. Defenses start playing real zone coverage, so quarterbacks need to read where the open space is rather than picking a receiver before the snap.
A belt with two or three detachable flags. Most leagues supply them, but a spare set is worth having — flags go missing constantly.
Required by most leagues even though there is no tackling. Buy several; they get lost or chewed through in a season.
Molded rubber cleats only. Metal spikes are banned everywhere. Regular trainers are fine on dry grass for the youngest ages.
Pee wee size for the youngest players, junior size around ages 9-12. A ball too big for their hands is the single most common reason young quarterbacks cannot throw a spiral.
For marking the rush line at practice and running drills. A set of ten is plenty.
Every term a first-year coach hears on the sideline, in plain English.
The imaginary line across the field where the ball sits before the snap. Neither team may cross it until the ball is snapped.
The moment the center hands or passes the ball back to the quarterback to start the play.
See it inCenter Screen
The path a receiver runs after the snap, usually a straight line followed by one sharp cut.
See it inTrips Right Slant
A quick route where the receiver takes a few steps forward then cuts diagonally toward the middle of the field. The fastest way to get a completion.
See it inTrips Right Slant
A route where the receiver runs upfield then cuts sharply toward the sideline. Hard to defend and safe, because an overthrow goes out of bounds.
See it inEmpty Quick Outs
A deep route where the receiver runs upfield then angles toward the middle, aiming at the goalposts.
See it inDouble Post
Also called a fly. The receiver simply runs straight downfield as fast as they can, trying to get behind everyone.
See it inSpread Four Verticals
A deep route breaking away from the middle toward the corner of the end zone, the mirror image of a post.
See it inAce Right Corner
A short pass to a player who has let the rush come past them, usually while everyone else clears out downfield.
See it inCenter Screen
Two receivers crossing close together in opposite directions so their defenders collide. The most reliable answer to man coverage.
See it inBunch Right Mesh
Sending three receivers to the same side of the field at three different depths, so the quarterback can read high to low.
See it inTwins Left Flood
A run play where the ball carrier heads wide toward the sideline before turning upfield, rather than straight ahead.
See it inPower Sweep Right
The line seven yards behind the line of scrimmage that a pass rusher must start behind.
Sending the rusher hard at the quarterback every snap. Beat it with quick routes and screens.
See it inCenter ScreenEmpty Quick Outs
Each defender is responsible for one specific receiver wherever they go. Beaten by crossing routes and bunch formations.
See it inBunch Right MeshDouble Post
Each defender guards an area of the field rather than a player. Beaten by putting receivers in the gaps between zones.
See it inTwins Left Flood
Illegally blocking a defender from your flags with a hand, arm, or the ball. A penalty in every league.
An area near each end zone and midfield where the offense must pass rather than run.