Establish Rules, Field and Positions
Step1
Find a large, grassy area to serve as your playing field.
Step2
Divide players evenly into two teams.
Step3
Have each team decide who will act as its quarterback, running backs, receivers and line players.
Step4
Set your playing field's boundaries. The playing field should be rectangular, with an end zone at each end. Anything outside the playing area is out of bounds.
Step5
Decide whether you'll play one-hand touch or two-hand touch (see Tips).
Step6
Choose a method of deciding a winner by limiting either playing time or points scored. For example, the winning team could be the one with the highest score at the end of an hour or the first team to score five points.
Step7
Determine if you'll be able to earn new first downs. Traditionally, teams have four tries, or downs, to gain at least 10 yards. If they do so, they start over with a new set of downs. Your field may not be long enough for this. These instructions describe a game without new first downs.
Step8
Flip a coin to decide which team will begin playing offense.
Play the Game
Step1
Place the ball in the middle of the field.
Step2
Take an allotted time for deciding offensive and defensive strategies.
Step3
Line up the teams on either side of the ball, parallel to the end zones and facing each other.
Step4
The offensive player in the center of the line (the 'center') passes the ball to the quarterback between his legs.
Step5
While line players block the defensive line, the quarterback hands off the ball to a running back or passes the ball to a receiver, who then runs with the ball toward the opposite end zone while defensive players try to tag him or her.
Step6
Other offensive players try to keep defenders from tagging the ball carrier by blocking for him or her.
Step7
Stop the play once the runner is tagged, drops the ball or runs out of bounds. This counts as a down.
Step8
Set down the ball where it was last in play, and repeat steps 9 through 14.
Step9
Switch possession of the ball if three more tags, drops or out-of-bounds runs occur (for a total of four downs) before the offensive team reaches the end zone with the ball. The defense then becomes the offense at the point where the ball was last in play. The new offense gets four attempts to move the ball toward the opposite end zone.
Step10
Also switch possession of the ball when a point is scored; the scoring team then takes the defensive position. Play begins again by setting the ball in the middle of the field and lining the teams up as before.
Step11
Continue the game in this fashion until the point or time limit is reached.
Comments
jasek05 said
on 7/24/2007 First downs - another idea for 1st downs, if you have a few markers (at least four for a 100 yd field...20, 40, 60, 80yds...the endzones should already be marked) is to pass a marker for a 1st down (adj. for smaller fields too). You may have a 1st & 19, or you may have a 1st & 1...it depends on where you start...but it makes the game run smoother.
Anonymous said
on 6/30/2006 If you cannot kick the ball very far, try throwing it from your end zone to the opponent's end zone. This may require you to throw from about 20 yards in front of your end zone.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Instead of getting the ball at the middle of the field. kick it off from one end zone to the opposition.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 It's a good idea to decide if you want to count the ball down after an opposing player touches you with both hands at the same time, or if he can be touched twice at any time. It's also appropriate to set whether a tag counts below the waist, above the waist, or anywhere on the body.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Pretend you are not good, so that people will not guard you. Then say "I'm open, I'm open!" If you get passed to, your run will win.