Skip to main content

Register for a BreakAway demo for your team or organization here

Book a Call
Get the App

Flag footballstat glossary.

Flag football stats count the same things as any football box score. The big difference: a defender stops a play by pulling a flag, not by bringing anyone down. This glossary defines every stat and rule term BreakAway records, from flag pull to Flight. It also shows where NFL FLAG, IFAF, high school and college rules differ.

Updated · 51 terms. Where rulebooks differ, each term shows them side by side. In BreakAway the rules are set per game in a ruleset, with 100,000+ combinations.

Automatic first down

Also: AFD

An automatic first down gives the offense a new set of downs because the defense broke a rule. The offense gets it no matter where the ball ends up. Any penalty yards are added on top. Only the defense can give one away. Rulebooks split on which fouls bring one, from every defensive foul to a short list.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Comes with every defensive penalty, pass interference included. (Rules page; Sec. XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Comes with holding, stripping, pass interference and roughing the passer. It also comes with unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct. Offsides and delay of game cost yards only. (Rules 6-2, 6-4)
  • NFHS: Only for illegal contact, unsportsmanlike conduct and repeat team box fouls. Pass interference is not one of them. (Rule 10-1-7)
  • IFAF: Only for defensive fouls before the ball changes hands. Pass interference and illegal contact both bring one. (Rules 2-7-5, 7-3-3, 9-1-1)
  • College: Comes with defensive pass interference. It also comes with using hands to hold a player before a pass is thrown. (Rules 7-4-8, 9-4-2)

Completion

Also: Completed pass, Comp

A completion is a forward pass that a player on the offense catches. The receiver must hold the ball firmly and touch the ground in bounds. A receiver in the air must keep hold through the landing. Then the play goes on until her flag comes off, she steps out, or she scores.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: One foot or another body part down in bounds is enough. A receiver with one or no flags is down at the catch. If both teams catch it at once, the offense keeps it. (Rules page; Secs. IX.3, XII.3)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: One foot or body part in bounds counts. A catch with one or no flags is down right there. If both teams catch it at once, the offense keeps it. (Rules 3-2-1g, 4-4-2, 4-4-3)
  • NFHS: If both teams catch it at once, the play ends right there. (Rule 4-2-2)
  • IFAF: A receiver who jumps must land holding the ball and keep it while hitting the ground. (Rule 2-10-3)
  • College: If both teams catch it at once, the play ends and the passing team keeps it. (Rule 7-4-6)

How BreakAway records it: Tap Comp, pick the receiver, name the defender who made the flag pull, then drag the ball to where the play ended. The passer is remembered after the first completion.

Watch the lesson: Logging a completion

Completion percentage

Also: Completion rate, Comp %

Completion percentage is the share of pass attempts that get caught. It is the main number for how accurate a quarterback is. Interceptions count as attempts. Look at the 2026 IFAF World Championship. The most accurate qualified passer in the women's division completed 77.8% of her throws. So anything near 80% is elite at the international level.

How BreakAway records it: Worked out from the passes logged in each game and built into team and athlete pages. Nobody does the arithmetic by hand.

Source: The BreakDown

Dead ball

Also: Play is dead, End of the down

A dead ball means the play is over. The ball stays dead between plays, until the next snap. The next play starts from where the ball was when it died. In flag football a flag pull ends the play. So does a step out of bounds, a ball hitting the ground, or a score.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Also over when the runner's knee or arm hits the ground, or a flag falls off. Same if a player catches it with one or no flags, or the 7-second pass clock runs out. (Rules page; Sec. IX.6)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Also over when any part of the runner but hands or feet touches the ground. (Rule 3-2-1)
  • NFHS: Once a fumble, a bobbled catch or a backward toss lands, the play is over. Nobody can pick it up. (Rule 4-2-2)
  • IFAF: Also over when a runner fakes a knee to the ground, or a teammate touches a fumble. (Rule 4-1-2)
  • College: Also over when a flag comes off the runner's belt. Same if a player catches the ball with a flag already off. (Rule 4-1-3)

Down

Also: Series of downs

A down is one play, from the snap until the ball is dead. Downs come in a set, called a series. The offense must reach the line to gain before the series runs out. If it does, it gets a new series. If not, the other team gets the ball. Series length and the line both vary by ruleset.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Four downs to cross midfield, then three more to score. (Rules page)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Four plays to cross midfield, then four more to score. (Rule 1-1-2)
  • NFHS: Four downs per series to get past the next zone line. (Rules 5-1-1, 5-3-1)
  • IFAF: Four downs per series. Midfield is the only line to gain. (Rule 5-1-1)
  • College: A series is at most four downs, aimed at the next zone line. (Rules 2-22-1, 5-1-2)

How BreakAway records it: The statting screen tracks the down for you. If it is wrong, open the play from the feed and change it.

Watch the lesson: Editing a play

Extra point (PAT)

Also: PAT, Point after touchdown, Conversion, Try, Two-point conversion

An extra point is the bonus play right after a touchdown. It is also called the try, conversion or PAT. The team snaps once from close to the goal line for 1 point, or from farther out for 2. It picks which before the play. The two spots, and whether the defense can score, change by ruleset.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: 1 point from the 5, pass plays only. 2 points from the 10, run or pass. A defensive return scores 2. (Rules page; Sec. VII.2)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: 1 point from the 5, pass only because of the no-run zone. 2 points from the 10. A defensive touchdown scores 2, and a safety scores 1. (Rule 4-1-2)
  • NFHS: 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. Only the offense can score. A kicked try for 1 exists only where a state adopts it. (Rules 8-3-1, 8-3-3)
  • IFAF: 1 point from the 5 or 2 from the 10. The team picks before the ball is set for play. A defensive touchdown scores 2, and a safety scores 1. (Rules 8-1-1, 8-3-2)
  • College: 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. If the defense takes the ball and scores, it gets 2. A safety scores 1. (Rules 8-1-1, 8-3-1)

Example

Girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. SoCal Fire Elite vs Lakeview Lady Hawks, 6-0, 1st half. Try from the 5 (1-point try).

After the game's first touchdown, SoCal Fire Elite chose the 1-point try. It was good, making it 7-0. In NFL FLAG, the 1-point try starts at the 5 and must be a pass. The 2-point try starts at the 10.

How BreakAway records it: After a touchdown the conversion opens on its own. Choose 1-Point or 2-Point, say whether it was good, how it happened and who scored.

Watch the lesson: Logging the extra point

Field goal

Also: FG

A field goal is a kick through the goal posts for 3 points. Most flag football has no kicking at all, so most rulesets have no field goal. High school games can have one only where the state association adopts it. Adopting it also allows a kicked try worth 1 point after a touchdown.

By ruleset

  • NFHS: 3 points, or 1 as a try from the 3, only where the state adopts it. A team that is behind after making one may keep the ball. (Rules 8-1, 8-3-3, 8-4-1, 8-4-3)
  • Illinois (IHSA): Not adopted, so no kicked field goals. The 2026-27 manual says nothing, so the 2025-26 rule stands. (2025-26 adoptions #19)
  • Maryland (MPSSAA): Not adopted for 2026-27. No kicking tee and no kicked tries. (Adoptions #7, #21)
  • IFAF: No kicks at all. Kicking the ball is a foul. (Rules 2-9-6, 6-1-1)
  • College: Punts are allowed, but the scoring table has no field goal. (Rules 2-13-1, 8-1-1)

First down

Also: 1st & Mid, 1st & Goal

A first down is a fresh set of downs, earned by reaching the line to gain. On most 5v5 fields the only line to gain is midfield. So a drive earns one first down at most, then goes for the score. BreakAway shows that as 1st & Mid, then 1st & Goal. Longer high school and college fields have several.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Only by crossing midfield. Then the offense has three downs to score, or the ball goes over. (Rules page; Sec. I.3)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Crossing midfield is the only first down in a possession. (Rule 1-1-2)
  • NFHS: A new series each time the offense reaches the next zone line. (Rule 5-3-1)
  • IFAF: Earned once per series, the first time a play ends past midfield. (Rule 5-1-1)
  • College: No chains. The ball either reaches the zone line or it does not. (Rule 5-1-3)

Example

Girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. SoCal Fire Elite vs Lakeview Lady Hawks, 0-0, 1st half. 4th & 3 to midfield at its own 22.

SoCal Fire Elite faced 4th down at its own 22, 3 yards short of midfield. A 7-yard pass got them across. In NFL FLAG, crossing midfield earns a new set of 3 downs to score. They scored on the 3rd one.

Source: Case study

Flag guarding

Flag guarding is blocking a defender from your flags while you carry the ball. It is a foul in every ruleset. Covering a flag with a hand, arm or the ball counts. So do a stiff arm and a dropped shoulder or elbow. What it costs varies. So does whether jumping or diving past a defender counts.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: 5 yards from the spot and loss of down. (Rules page; Secs. XIV.7, XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: 5 yards and loss of down. Leaving your feet to avoid a pull counts as flag guarding. (Rules 4-2-4, 6-3)
  • NFHS: 10 yards, with no loss of down. (Rules 9-2-2, 10-1-6)
  • IFAF: 5 yards from the spot and loss of down. Jumping and diving get the same penalty. (Rules 2-12-2, 9-2-2)
  • College: 5 yards from the spot. The offense also loses the down if the ball has not changed hands. (Rule 7-2-1)

Flag pull

Also: Deflag

A flag pull is a defender grabbing the flag off the ball carrier, which ends the play right there. It is how defenders stop a run or a catch, and the signature defensive stat in flag football. Pulling the quarterback's flag behind the line of scrimmage is a sack, if she still has the ball.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Only on a player holding the ball. Pulling a receiver's flag before the catch costs 5 yards and gives an automatic first down. (Secs. XIV.6, XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Pulling a flag before the receiver has the ball costs 5 yards from the spot. (Rules 4-7-5, 6-2)
  • IFAF: Pulling the flag of anyone but the runner costs 5 yards. (Rule 9-2-2)
  • College: A flag counts as pulled once it leaves the belt. A belt torn off counts too. (Rule 2-5-1)

How BreakAway records it: Every completion and rush asks who made the flag pull, from the defense's roster. One pull per play: there is no assist in flag, and inventing one makes season totals meaningless.

Watch the lessons: Logging a flag pull, Skipping a flag pull

Flight

Flight is a BreakAway stat for one kind of touchdown. It comes on a passing play beyond midfield, before the offense earns a first down. One throw takes the ball from its own half into the end zone. Flight is BreakAway's own stat, first used on a tournament broadcast, not a rulebook term.

Example

IFAF Flag Football. Northshore Storm vs Bay City Blaze, 13-14, 2nd half. 4th & 20 to midfield at its own 5.

Trailing 14-13, Northshore faced 4th down at its own 5. It threw 45 yards for a touchdown. The drive never earned a first down. BreakAway calls that a Flight.

Source: Case study

Forfeit

A forfeit is a game given to one team because the other could not or would not finish it. Often a team is short of players. It counts as a win and a loss. But the score is set by the rules, not by play. Rulesets set very different scores, which changes point differential.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Scored 35-0, or 28-0 in tournament play. (Sec. VII.7)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Scored 30-0. (Rule 4-1-4)
  • NFHS: Recorded 1-0, but if the wronged team was already winning, the actual score is kept. (Rule 8-1)
  • IFAF: A team that is more than one player short forfeits. (Rule 1-1-1)
  • College: Scored 1-0. If the wronged team was ahead, its real score is kept. (Rule 8-1-2)

Fumble

A fumble is losing control of the ball any way other than a pass or a handoff. In flag football there is no pile to fight over a loose ball. So most rulesets end the play when a fumble hits the ground. The team that dropped it keeps the ball. A fumble caught in the air can differ.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Dead where it hits the ground. (Rules page; Sec. IX.6)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Dead when it hits the ground; a bad snap is spotted where it lands. (Rule 3-2-1)
  • NFHS: Over as soon as the ball lands; nobody can recover it. (Rule 4-2-2)
  • IFAF: Over at the spot it was lost once it hits the ground or a teammate touches it. But the fumbler or a defender can catch it first and keep playing. (Rule 7-2-4)
  • College: Any player can catch it in the air and keep playing. Once it hits the ground, the fumbling team keeps it. (Rules 7-3-2, 7-3-3)

Example

Youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. Harbor Point Mariners vs Desert Ridge Coyotes, 12-12, 2nd half. 1st & 20 to midfield at its own 5.

Tied 12-12 late, Harbor Point snapped from its own 5. The snap hit the ground. In NFL FLAG, the ball is dead where it lands, so nobody can recover it. Harbor Point kept it but lost 4 yards.

Half the distance

Also: Half the distance to the goal

Half the distance is a limit on penalty yards near a goal line. A penalty can move the ball at most halfway to the fouling team's own goal line. Say a team fouls on its own 6 and owes 10 yards. The ball moves to the 3, not into the end zone. All major rulebooks use it, with rare exceptions.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Applies to every penalty. (Sec. XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Applies to every penalty. (Rule 6-1)
  • NFHS: Applies to every penalty. (Rule 10-1-5)
  • IFAF: Applies to every penalty for yards, tries included. (Rule 10-3-3)
  • College: The exception is defensive pass interference on a regular down. (Rule 10-2-6)

Incompletion

Also: Incomplete pass, Inc

An incompletion is a forward pass that nobody catches in bounds. The ball goes back to where the play started, and the down still counts. It counts as a pass attempt, so it lowers the quarterback's completion percentage. Whether it stops the game clock depends on the ruleset and the time left.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: League clocks stop only for injuries, halftime and timeouts. So an incompletion does not stop it. (Rules page)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Stops the clock when a pro clock is in use. (Rule 2-2-2)
  • NFHS: Stops the clock only in the last two minutes of a half. (Rule 3-4)
  • IFAF: Stops the clock only in the last two minutes of a half. (Rule 3-2-5)
  • College: Stops the clock under two minutes in each half. (Rule 3-6-2)

How BreakAway records it: Tap Inc. There is no spot to mark, and the quarterback is asked for once per game, then filled in for you.

Watch the lesson: Logging an incomplete pass

Intentional grounding

Also: Grounding, Throwing it away

Intentional grounding is throwing the ball away with no receiver near it. A quarterback does it to avoid a sack or a loss of yards. Flag rulebooks split sharply on it. Some let the quarterback throw anywhere past the line of scrimmage. Others call a throw that lands away from every receiver a foul and take away the down.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Not a foul: the quarterback may throw anywhere past the line of scrimmage. (Sec. XI.1)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: 5 yards and loss of down. It applies when a pass does not cross the line or lands away from every receiver. (Rules 4-3-1, 6-3)
  • NFHS: 5 yards and loss of down. (Rules 7-5-2, 10-1-6)
  • IFAF: Not a foul in flag football. (AR 7-3-1-I)
  • College: Loss of down at the spot of the foul. (Rule 7-4-2g-i)

Interception

Also: INT, Pick

An interception is a forward pass caught by the defense. The ball changes hands on the play, and the defender can run it back. So where the return ends matters. It counts against the quarterback who threw it. It is credited to the defender who caught it. A return all the way to the end zone is a pick-six.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: It can be run back for 6, or for 2 on an extra point or in overtime. On a One-Way Field it is dead and placed at the 40. (Rules page; Sec. V)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: It is the one change of possession that does not restart at the 5. The new offense starts where the return ends. (Rules 1-1-2, 4-4-4)
  • NFHS: If the defender catches it and is downed in her own end zone, it is a touchback. (Rule 8-5-3)
  • IFAF: The new series starts where the return ends. (Rule 5-1-1)
  • College: Catching the other team's fumble in the air also counts as an interception. (Rule 2-3-3)

Example

High school, NFHS (girls' high school). LC Legends vs Harbor Point Mariners, 0-20, Q2. 3rd down at its own 33.

Trailing 20-0, LC Legends threw on 3rd down from its own 33. Harbor Point intercepted and ran it back to the 9. In NFHS play, the new offense starts where the return ends. Harbor Point scored on the next snap.

How BreakAway records it: Log the takeaway and the return. If the return goes all the way, it is a pick-six.

Watch the lesson: Logging an interception

Keep-the-ball option

Also: Retain possession, Flag football onside kick

The keep-the-ball option is a high school rule for a team still behind after it scores. Instead of giving the ball back, it can keep it, starting on 4th down from its own 20. It is flag football's onside kick: a risky shot at a comeback. Other rulesets always give the ball back.

By ruleset

  • NFHS: Allowed after a try or a made field goal, only while behind. Otherwise the other team starts at its own 14. (Rules 8-3-9, 8-4-3)
  • IFAF: After a try, the other team always starts at its own 5. (Rule 8-3-3)
  • College: After a try, the other team always snaps from its own 14. (Rule 8-3-6)

Key Moments

Key Moments is the fastest way to stat a game in BreakAway. It records only scoring plays, sacks and interceptions, and nothing else. So most of a game needs no input at all. It still handles halftime and ending the game. It still sends a stat card to every athlete, too.

Watch the lesson: Statting with Key Moments

Kickoff

Also: Opening possession, Coin toss

Flag football has no kickoff. Instead, a coin toss decides who gets the ball first. That team starts its drive with a snap from a set spot near its own goal line. The other team usually gets the ball to start the second half. Where the spot is, and what the toss winner picks, depends on the ruleset.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: The toss winner picks offense or defense. The loser picks which way to go. No deferring. Drives start at the 5. (Rules page; Sec. I)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Same choices, no deferring, and drives start at the 5. (Rules 1-1-1, 1-1-2)
  • NFHS: Each half starts at the offense's 14-yard line. (Rule 4-1-1)
  • Illinois (IHSA): Follows NFHS, but the coin toss is 10 minutes before kickoff. (Manual, Game Procedure 2)
  • IFAF: The toss winner picks whether to get the ball first in the first half or the second. The other team picks its end. Halves start at the 5. (Rules 3-1-1, 3-1-2)
  • College: Periods start at the 14. The toss winner may save its choice for the second half. (Rules 3-1-2, 3-2-1)

How BreakAway records it: Starting a scheduled game asks who has the ball first, and lets you flip the field to match your sideline.

Watch the lesson: Starting a scheduled game

Line of scrimmage

Also: LOS, Scrimmage line

The line of scrimmage is the line across the field where the ball sits before the snap. Neither team may cross it early. Every gain or loss is measured from it. Catch a pass 4 yards past it and run to 12, and that is a 12-yard gain. Who must stay behind it, and for how long, varies.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: No player may step into the space at the ball before the snap. If one does, the play is stopped for a foul. (Sec. IX.2)
  • IFAF: Defenders lined up within 7 yards must stay behind it until a handoff, fake handoff or pass. (Rule 7-1-4)
  • College: Each team has its own line, with a one-yard gap between them called the neutral zone. (Rule 2-15-1)

How BreakAway records it: Drag the ball to where the play ended. The app measures from the line of scrimmage and counts the yards.

Watch the lesson: Marking the yardage

Line to gain

Also: Zone to gain, Zone line to gain

The line to gain is the line the offense must reach to earn a new set of downs. In 5v5 flag it is usually midfield, the only one on the field. High school and college fields are split into zones instead. The target is the next zone line, so a drive can earn several first downs.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Midfield, on a 30 x 70 yard field with two 10-yard end zones. (Rules page)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Midfield. (Definitions; Rule 1-1-2)
  • NFHS: Set at the start of each series. It is whichever 20- or 40-yard marker comes first ahead of the ball. Inside the last 20, it is the goal line. (Rules 2-21-4, 5-3-1)
  • IFAF: The middle line. (Rule 2-1-6)
  • College: The next zone line ahead of the ball. Lines come every 20 yards, and nobody measures. (Rules 1-2-2, 5-1-2, 5-1-3)

Loss of down

Also: LOD

Loss of down is a penalty that costs the offense the play it just ran. So 2nd down becomes 3rd down, on top of any penalty yards. Only the offense can get one. How many fouls bring it varies a lot. In some rulesets every offensive penalty does. In others only a few passing fouls do.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Comes with every offensive penalty. (Rules page; Sec. XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Comes with flag guarding, pass interference, illegal passes and center sneaks. It also comes with illegal motion and intentional grounding, but not false starts. (Rules 6-3, 6-5)
  • NFHS: Just three fouls. They are a forward handoff, an illegal forward pass, and throwing the ball away. (Rule 10-1-6)
  • IFAF: Only for offensive fouls during a play, before the ball changes hands. (Rule 2-7-4)
  • College: Comes with flag guarding, illegal passes, illegal batting and intentional grounding. (Rules 7-2-1, 7-3-1, 7-4-2, 9-5)

Mercy rule

Also: Point differential rule, Mercy

A mercy rule stops a blowout. Once one team leads by a set margin, the game ends early or the clock keeps running. The margin, and what happens when it is reached, differ more than almost any other rule in the sport. Some rulebooks leave both to the league or the state association.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Game over at 35 points in the regular season, 28 in tournaments. (Sec. VII.6)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Game over at 30 points, with no try after the score. (Rule 4-1-4; A.R. 2-1-1)
  • NFHS: Left to each state association. (Rule 3-1-2)
  • Illinois (IHSA): A lead of 30 or more from the third quarter on runs the clock for the rest of the game. (Manual, Clock Procedures 9)
  • Maryland (MPSSAA): A 28-point lead in the second half starts a running clock. (Adoption #16)
  • North Carolina and Tennessee (NCHSAA, TSSAA): A 19-point lead at the two-minute break of the 4th quarter keeps the clock running. (Mercy Rule Regulations)
  • IFAF: No early end. A 30-point lead only keeps the clock running in the last two minutes. (Rule 3-2-6)

Example

USA Flag 5's. Harbor Point Mariners vs Desert Ridge Coyotes, 26-0, 2nd half. 3rd & 9 to midfield at its own 16.

Up 26-0 in the 2nd half, Harbor Point threw a 34-yard touchdown on 3rd down. That made it 32-0. Under USA Flag 5's rules, a 30-point lead ends the game right there. There was no try after the touchdown.

No-running zone

Also: No-run zone, NRZ

A no-running zone is a part of the field where the offense may not run the ball. It must throw a forward pass instead. The zone is usually the 5 yards in front of a goal line. It stops short plays from turning into shoving. Where the zones sit, and whether a league uses them, depends on the ruleset.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Two per drive: 5 yards before midfield and 5 yards before the end zone. Leagues for 8U and younger drop them. (Rules page; Sec. XVIII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Only the 5 yards before the goal line, and leagues may drop it for beginners. (Rules 1-7-2, 4-2-3)
  • IFAF: A snap on or inside the 5 must be a pass play. A run costs 5 yards and loss of down. (Rules 2-1-4, 7-1-3)
  • College: The field markings show no such zone. (Rule 1-2-2)

Example

Girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. Lakeview Lady Hawks vs SoCal Fire Elite, 0-7, 1st half. 2nd & goal at the opponent's 3.

A 13-yard run put Lakeview 3 yards from the end zone, trailing 7-0. Inside the 5, NFL FLAG allows no running plays. So Lakeview had to throw. After an incompletion, it scored on a 3-yard pass.

Overtime

Also: OT, Extra period, Tiebreaker

Overtime is extra play to break a tie at the end of a game. In flag football it is rarely timed. Most formats trade drives or single scoring plays from a set spot. Play goes on until one team leads after both have had the ball. Many rulebooks leave the format to the event.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Teams trade single plays for 1 point from the 5 or 2 from the 10. Then only 2-point plays. From the third round, the most yards on one play wins. (Sec. VI)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: League games give each team a drive from midfield. Tournaments use single 1- or 2-point plays. (Rules 2-1-6, 2-2-3)
  • NFHS: Only by state adoption, and counted as part of the fourth period. (Rule 3-1-1)
  • Illinois (IHSA): One try each, 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. The manual also points to NFHS overtime rules. But the NFHS book has no overtime steps of its own (NFHS 3-1-1 NOTE). (Manual, Clock Procedures 8; Tie Games)
  • Maryland (MPSSAA): Each team gets four downs from the 10. (Adoption #15)
  • North Carolina and Tennessee (NCHSAA, TSSAA): One try each, 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10, with no timeouts. (Overtime Regulations)
  • IFAF: Each team gets a series from the middle, then alternating 1-point tries from the 5. (Rule 3-1-3)
  • College: Each team gets four downs from the other team's 10. From the third extra period, each gets one play worth 1, snapped from the 3. (Rule 3-2-4)

Example

Girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. SoCal Fire Elite vs Lakeview Lady Hawks, 13-13, Overtime. Try from the 5 or 10 (1 or 2 points).

Tied 13-13 after regulation, the game went to overtime. Each team got one play. One team scored from the 5 for 1 point. The other went from the 10 for 2, made it, and won 15-14.

Pass attempt

Also: Attempt, Att

A pass attempt is any forward pass the offense throws. It counts whether it ends as a completion, an incompletion or an interception. Attempts are the bottom number in completion percentage. They show how much an offense leans on the pass. Rulebooks allow one forward pass per down, thrown from behind the line of scrimmage.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Every forward pass must cross the line of scrimmage. (Rules page)
  • IFAF: One per down, and only before the ball changes hands. (Rule 7-3-1)
  • College: Thrown from behind the line, or from inside the one-yard gap at the line. (Rule 7-4-1)

Source: The BreakDown

Pass breakup

Also: Breakup, PBU

A pass breakup is a defender knocking a pass away so nobody catches it. It shows coverage that stops the catch without taking the ball. At the 2026 IFAF World Championship, one national team made eight breakups a match against its two toughest opponents. But it had only five interceptions all tournament.

How BreakAway records it: Olympic Level only. On a broken-up pass, name the defender who broke it up, in the slot where a flag pull defender would go.

Source: The BreakDown

Pass clock

Also: 7-second rule, Seven-second clock

The pass clock is how long the quarterback has to throw or hand off after the snap. It is usually 7 seconds. When time runs out the play is dead and the down counts. The ball goes back to where the play started. A handoff or backward pass turns the clock off, and not every ruleset has one.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: 7 seconds; a handoff, pitch or lateral turns it off. (Rules page)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: 7 seconds, ended only by a handoff or pass, never by pressure. (Rule 4-3-3)
  • IFAF: 7 seconds to pass or hand off, or 5 in beach flag; running out costs the down. (Rule 7-1-3)
  • College: No pass clock. The 30-second play clock only times the snap. (Rule 4-1-5)

Pass interference

Also: PI

Pass interference is illegal contact that keeps a player from catching a pass in the air. Either side can commit it, but the defense does most often. The cost runs from a foul marked where it happened to 10 yards. Whether it also brings an automatic first down depends on the ruleset.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Against the defense: ball at the spot plus an automatic first down. Against the offense: 5 yards and loss of down. (Sec. XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Against the defense: 10 yards plus an automatic first down. Against the offense: 10 yards and loss of down. (Rules 6-4, 6-5)
  • NFHS: 10 yards, with no automatic first down. (Rules 7-5-10, 10-1-7)
  • IFAF: 10 yards. The defense also gives an automatic first down, and the offense loses the down. Avoiding contact is the defender's job. (Rule 7-3-3)
  • College: Against the defense: ball at the spot and an automatic first down. If the foul is 10 or more yards downfield, it is 10 yards and a first down. Against the offense: 10 yards. (Rule 7-4-8)

Example

Girls' youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. SoCal Fire Elite vs Lakeview Lady Hawks, 7-6, 1st half. 2nd & 20 to midfield at its own 5.

SoCal Fire Elite had 2nd down at its own 5, up 7-6. The defense was flagged for pass interference. In NFL FLAG, the ball goes to the spot of the foul with an automatic first down. That moved SoCal 15 yards, to its own 20.

Passing yards

Also: Pass yards

Passing yards are the yards gained on completed passes, credited to the quarterback. Each completion is measured from the line of scrimmage to where the play ended. So it includes every yard the receiver gains after the catch. Incompletions add nothing. A catch stopped behind the line of scrimmage counts as lost yards.

How BreakAway records it: You mark where the play ended and the app does the arithmetic, then ranks passers on event leaderboards.

Watch the lesson: Marking the yardage

Penalty

Also: Foul, Flag

A penalty is what a team loses for breaking a rule. It can cost yards, a down, or an automatic first down. Most flag football penalties are 5 or 10 yards. They count from the line of scrimmage or the spot of the foul. Near the fouling team's goal line, most penalties go only half the distance.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Every foul by the offense costs a down. Every foul by the defense gives a first down. (Rules page; Sec. XVII)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Spot fouls are marked from where they happen. Everything else is marked from the line of scrimmage. (Rule 6-1)
  • NFHS: Only two distances exist, 5 and 10 yards. (Penalty Summary)
  • IFAF: Contact and unsportsmanlike fouls cost 10 yards. Most others cost 5. (Rule 10, Philosophy of Enforcement)

How BreakAway records it: Log a penalty as its own play with the Flag button, who committed it and how many yards, or attach it to the play you just logged.

Watch the lessons: Logging a penalty, Flagging the last play

Pick-six

Also: Pick 6, Interception return touchdown

A pick-six is an interception the defense runs back all the way for a touchdown. In regular play it is worth 6 points, like any touchdown. It counts as an interception for the defender and against the quarterback. A return during an extra point try or overtime scores differently, or not at all, depending on the ruleset.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: 6 points in a regular game. 2 on an extra point or in overtime, where it also ends the game in the first two rounds. (Rules page; Sec. VI)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: 2 points during a try. (Rule 4-1-2)
  • NFHS: Only the offense can score during a try, so a return then earns nothing. (Rule 8-3-3)
  • IFAF: 2 points during a try. (Rule 8-1-1)
  • College: 2 points during a try. (Rule 8-1-1)

Example

Youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. Harbor Point Mariners vs Rosemont Rockers, 6-14, 2nd half. 2nd & 8 to midfield at its own 17.

Trailing 14-6, Harbor Point took over at its own 5 after a punt. Two plays later, a pass was picked off and returned for a touchdown. In NFL FLAG, a pick-six is worth 6 points during regulation. It made the score 20-6.

Watch the lesson: Logging an interception

Possession

Also: Change of possession

Possession means having firm control of the ball. It also means which team has it. The ball changes hands on an interception, a punt, a turnover on downs and after a score. Sometimes players from both teams catch the ball at the same moment. Rulebooks disagree on who keeps it then.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: A ball caught by both teams at once goes to the offense. (Sec. XII.3)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: A ball caught by both teams at once goes to the offense. (Rule 4-4-3)
  • NFHS: If both teams catch it at once, the play is over. No penalty ever changes who has the ball. (Rules 2-14-3, 4-2-2)
  • IFAF: Possession also decides who has the right of way. The offense has it until a pass or handoff, then the defense does. (Flag Football Code; Rule 2-9-4)
  • College: A pass caught by both teams at once is dead and stays with the passing team. (Rule 7-4-6)

How BreakAway records it: The app flips possession when a play ends a drive. To hand the ball over without logging a play, use Other, then Change possession.

Watch the lesson: Changing possession

Punt

A punt is a 4th-down choice to give the ball away instead of going for it. It pins the other team deep. In most 5v5 play nobody kicks. The offense just declares it, and the other team starts on its own 5-yard line. High school and college games keep a real punt that can be returned.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: On 4th down the coach must say punt or play. A punt gives the other team the ball at its own 5. (Rules page; Sec. I.3)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Nothing to declare: every failed drive restarts at the other team's 5 anyway. (Rule 1-1-2)
  • NFHS: A real kick, called in advance, which the other team may run back. Punting is one of the 21 rules each state sets. (Rules 6-1-1, 6-1-2)
  • Maryland (MPSSAA): Punting is allowed under the NFHS kicking rules. (Adoption #13)
  • IFAF: No kicking; a failed series restarts at the other team's 5. (Rule 5-1-1)
  • College: A real kick, called on 4th down. Fair catches are allowed. (Rules 2-14-1, 6-2-2)

Example

High school, NFHS (girls' high school). LC Legends vs Harbor Point Mariners, 0-0, Q1. 4th & 5 at its own 15.

On 4th down at its own 15, LC Legends punted for real. The kick traveled 47 yards, and Harbor Point fielded it at its own 18. In NFHS play, a punt is a real kick that the other team can return.

How BreakAway records it: One tap on 4th down. Possession flips and the app spots the other team where the game's ruleset says, its own 5 in most 5v5 rulesets.

Watch the lessons: Punting on 4th down, Handling 4th down

Receiving yards

Also: Rec yards

Receiving yards are the yards gained on catches, credited to the receiver. Each one is measured from the line of scrimmage to where the play ended. So it includes every yard run after the catch. On any one completion, the receiver's yards and the quarterback's passing yards are the same number. They feed season receiving leaderboards.

Watch the lesson: Marking the yardage

Reception

Also: Catch, Rec

A reception is a caught pass, counted for the receiver who caught it. Every completion is one reception for someone. So a team's completions and its receptions match once every receiver is named. Receptions show on each athlete's stat card and career totals, next to receiving yards.

How BreakAway records it: Did not see who caught it? Skip the receiver, finish the play, and fill it in later from the feed.

Watch the lesson: Skipping a receiver

Running clock

Also: Continuous clock, Running time

A running clock keeps going between plays. It does not stop for incomplete passes or a ball carrier stepping out of bounds, which keeps games short. Many flag rulesets run it for most of the game. Some switch to a stopping clock near the end of each half. Others turn it on once the score gets lopsided.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: League halves run 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the league. The clock stops only for injuries, halftime and timeouts. Tournaments play two 12-minute halves with a running clock. (Rules page; Sec. VI)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Suggested for youth. Adult games may use a stopping clock in the last two minutes of each half. (Rules 2-1-1, 2-2-1)
  • NFHS: Incomplete passes and runners going out of bounds stop the clock only in the last two minutes of a half. (Rule 3-4)
  • IFAF: Plays stop the clock only in the last two minutes. A 30-point lead keeps it running then too. (Rules 3-2-5, 3-2-6)
  • College: Runs continuously for the first 22 minutes of each half. (Rule 3-6-1)

Rush

Also: Run, Carry, Running play

A rush is a running play: a player runs with the ball instead of throwing it forward. It counts even when the runner loses yards. In 5v5 flag the quarterback usually cannot run the snap straight ahead. So most rushes start with a handoff or a pitch. No-running zones also rule out runs near the goal line.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: The player who takes the snap cannot run it past the line. Handoffs and pitches must happen behind the line. (Rules page)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: The quarterback may run only after handing off and getting the ball back. The center may not take a handoff. (Rules 1-3-1, 4-2-2)
  • IFAF: The quarterback cannot run past the line unless another player held the ball first. A defender touching a pass also frees the quarterback to run. (Rule 7-1-3)

How BreakAway records it: Log who carried it, who made the flag pull, and where the play stopped.

Watch the lesson: Logging a rush

Rush line

Also: 7-yard line, Rush marker

The rush line is a line, usually 7 yards off the ball on the defense's side. A defender must start behind it to chase the quarterback right at the snap. Once the ball is handed off or pitched, the line stops mattering. Then any defender may cross the line of scrimmage. Not every ruleset draws one.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: 7 yards. Up to two rushers raise a hand before the snap and must go right away. Younger divisions may not rush at all. (Rules page; Sec. XIII.1)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: 7 yards. Up to two blitzers signal by raising a hand. One who leaves early may reset behind it. (Rules 4-5-1, 4-5-3)
  • IFAF: More than 7 yards, or 5 in beach flag. Any defender that deep may rush. (Rules 2-2-6, 7-1-4)

Rusher

Also: Blitzer, Blitz

A rusher is a defender who crosses the line of scrimmage to chase the quarterback. Rulebooks name the role in different ways. Some call the player who starts from the rush line the rusher. Others call that player a blitzer. They save the word rusher for anyone who crosses later in the play.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: The rusher starts from the rush line. Offensive players must stay out of the rusher's path. (Rules page)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: A blitzer signals from 7 yards and has the right of way. A rusher is anyone who legally crosses after a handoff. (Definitions; Rules 1-3-2, 4-5-5)
  • IFAF: A blitzer raises a hand from more than 7 yards back and gets the right of way. A defender who crosses without signaling is a rusher. (Rule 2-2-6)

Rushing yards

Also: Rush yards

Rushing yards are the yards gained on running plays, credited to the ball carrier. Each rush counts from the line of scrimmage. It ends where the flag came off or the carrier went out. Yards lost behind the line count against the total. Rushing yards feed season and event leaderboards.

Watch the lessons: Logging a rush, Marking the yardage

Sack

A sack is a flag pull on the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. She must still have the ball. The play ends where the flag comes off. So a sack costs the offense yards as well as the down. It is credited to the defender who made the pull, usually a rusher.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: Spotted where the ball was when the flag came off. A sack in the offense's own end zone is a safety. (Sec. XIII.6)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: Spotted where the quarterback's feet were, not the ball. A sack in the offense's own end zone is a safety. (Rule 4-5-6)
  • IFAF: The quarterback has the ball until it fully leaves the hand. (Rule 2-10-4)

Example

Youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. Desert Ridge Coyotes vs LC Legends, 13-16, 2nd half. 1st & goal at the opponent's 14.

Trailing 16-13 late, Desert Ridge had 1st down 14 yards from the end zone. The quarterback's flag was pulled behind the line for a 5-yard loss. That is a sack. In NFL FLAG, up to 2 rushers may come from 7 yards back. The drive ended without a score.

How BreakAway records it: Sacks are not on the outcome grid. Log one from Other: the quarterback, who made the sack, and where the ball ended up.

Watch the lesson: Logging a sack

Safety

A safety is a score for the defense. It happens when the offense causes the ball to die in its own end zone. Most often a ball carrier's flag gets pulled there. It is worth 2 points, or 1 in rulesets that allow one during an extra point try. Who gets the ball next, and where, varies by ruleset.

By ruleset

  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: An offensive foul in its own end zone, like flag guarding, can also be a safety. The scoring team then starts at its own 5. (Rule 4-1-3; A.R. 3-2-1c)
  • NFHS: Any offensive foul in its own end zone is a safety. The team that gave up the safety then punts from its own 20. (Rules 8-5-2, 8-5-5)
  • IFAF: The scoring team then snaps from its own 5. (Rules 8-1-1, 8-4-2)
  • College: Worth 1 point during a try. (Rule 8-1-1)

Example

Youth, NFL FLAG tournament, NFL FLAG 5v5. Rosemont Rockers vs Northshore Storm, 6-0, 1st half. 1st & 20 to midfield at its own 5.

Rosemont led 6-0 and took over at its own 5 after a punt. On the very next snap, the play ended in its own end zone. That is a safety, worth 2 points to the defense. The score went to 6-2.

How BreakAway records it: Logged from the Other sheet, alongside Sack and Bad Snap.

Watch the lesson: Using the Other button

Spot of the foul

Also: Spot foul

The spot of the foul is the place on the field where a foul happened. Some penalties are measured from there instead of from the line of scrimmage. These are called spot fouls. They matter most for fouls far down the field. Flag guarding and charging by a ball carrier are typical spot fouls.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: A defensive spot foul in the end zone puts the ball on the 1 with a first down. An offensive one is a safety. (Sec. XVII)
  • NFHS: One of six places the rules use to mark off a penalty. (Rule 10-4)
  • IFAF: A foul out of bounds is marked at the sideline next to it. (Rule 2-6-3)
  • College: Used when the team with the ball fouls behind the spot the penalty would normally start from. (Rule 10-2-3)

Stat card

A stat card is a BreakAway athlete's own box score for one game, made to share. It shows the numbers that athlete put up, like completions, receiving yards, flag pulls or touchdowns. Every athlete on the roster gets one, not just the scorers. The athlete's stat page and season totals build from the same games.

How BreakAway records it: Finish with End Game, then notify every athlete so the post-game stat card is waiting for them.

Watch the lesson: Ending the game and sending stat cards

Statting

Also: Stat, Statted, Statter

Statting means recording a game's stats play by play as it happens. BreakAway uses stat as a verb. You stat a game, a statter does the statting, and the game is statted. In the BreakAway app it takes a tap or two per play while players reset. You log the outcome first, then the athletes and the spot.

Watch the lesson: Touring the statting screen

Touchback

A touchback is a play that ends in the end zone with no score, caused by the team on offense. The other team then gets the ball near its own goal line. In flag football it most often follows an interception in the end zone. Not every rulebook defines one, and the restart spot varies.

By ruleset

  • NFHS: This includes an interception downed in the defense's own end zone. The drive starts at the 14. (Rules 8-5-3, 8-5-4)
  • IFAF: The drive starts at the 5. Say a defender intercepts between the 5 and the goal line and momentum carries her in. That is a touchback too. (Rule 8-5)
  • College: The drive starts at the 14. (Rule 8-5-2)

Touchdown

Also: TD

A touchdown is worth 6 points. A team scores one by running the ball over the other team's goal line. Catching a pass in the end zone also counts. Then it tries for 1 or 2 more points. A touchdown can come from a pass, a run, or a defensive return like a pick-six.

By ruleset

  • NFHS: After the score, a teammate must pull the scorer's flag where an official can see it. (Rule 8-2-1)
  • College: A fumble or backward pass caught in the opponent's end zone also counts. (Rule 8-2-1)

How BreakAway records it: TD is its own button under the field, next to Flag and INT. Tap it, name who scored, and the scoreboard moves for everyone following the game.

Watch the lesson: Recording a touchdown

Turnover on downs

A turnover on downs happens when the offense uses its last down and comes up short. The other team takes over. Where it takes over depends on the ruleset. It may be the spot where the play ended, or back on its own 5-yard line. So the same failed play can mean very different field position.

By ruleset

  • NFL FLAG: At the spot, if the offense never crossed midfield. At the new offense's own 5, if it crossed and then failed to score. (Rules page; Sec. I.3)
  • USA Flag 5's and 7's: At the new offense's own 5. (Rule 1-1-2)
  • NFHS: At the spot. (Rule 5-1-3)
  • IFAF: At the new offense's own 5. (Rule 5-1-1)
  • College: At the spot. (Rule 5-1-1)

Example

Adult women, USA Flag 5's. Northshore Storm vs LC Legends, 0-0, 1st half. 4th & goal at the opponent's 5.

Northshore reached the 5-yard line on its first play past midfield. Then 3 straight passes fell incomplete. In USA Flag 5's, you get 4 plays to score once you cross midfield. LC Legends took over at its own 5.

How BreakAway records it: When the last down comes up short, the app closes the drive as a turnover on downs and starts the other team where the game's ruleset says: its own 5 under USA Flag 5's.

Watch the lessons: Turning it over on downs, Handling 4th down

Yards per completion

Yards per completion is passing yards divided by completions. It shows how far the average caught ball goes, including yards after the catch. It separates a short, safe passing game from a deep one. At the 2026 IFAF World Championship, one top passer held near 9 yards per completion. That held whether her team led or trailed.

Source: The BreakDown

Rulebooks cited

Every rule note names the section it comes from in these editions, linked to the publisher. The wording is ours. For NFL FLAG, “Rules page” is the web page and “Sec.” is the rulebook; for Illinois, “Manual” is the 2026-27 IHSA manual.

Know the stats. Now stat a game.

Statting your own games is free. A tap or two per play, and every athlete gets a stat card.

Get the AppLearn to stat