7 on 7 Flag Football Plays No Blocking is a part of junior American ball game. The defensive team must detach the flag from the ball carrier’s belt to prevent a down.
Unlike regular football, tackling and fumbles are not allowed in this game. The contact is only limited between players. There are different age groups who excitingly play the game.
This Football has attracted a considerable amature following towards it and many competitions are organized at national and international levels to promote the sport.
The flag ball is most popular in junior-level schools, among girls, teenagers boys, and even adults. The interest is not limited to a certain age group or gender. The motto behind its inception is also similar. It was proposed to make American football as inclusive as possible. Thus, the game has pulled out a wide variety of participants and audiences.
The variant is played as per various rules across the country and outside according to the rules of the organizing committee or the associates. Certain tricky plays let a team score. Let’s read about them in brief.
7 on 7 Flag Football Plays Against Zone
7 on 7 flag football plays against zone include Slant Vertical, Double Switch, Double Post-Wheel, Post-Slant, Trail Concept, Out & Up, etc.
Please note in the plays and formation below that other players are marked from 1 to 6, and the quarterback is named Q.
| Play Name | Formation |
| Slant Vertical | A player executes the the outside release fading to the sideline, for vertical approach ask QB to look at the sideline first and throw to the player. |
| Double Switch | One player will break the post and go to six yards, and another also will do the same and reach corner. The point is to take corner route to break off the back of post routes. |
| Double Post-Wheel | One player will do the inside release, the another one will be releasing veritcal. This will open the wheel for the another one on the trips side. |
| Post-Slant | It is almost similar to the play above. The only difference is the fourth player instead of running the wheel fakes it and cuts back inside. Once the defense is passed they will receive a post slant hit. |
| Trail Concept | In this play, the post side double bunch will attack high safeties and the other player will be running shallower behind the receivers at the front. |
| Out & Up | Like discussed above, here the fourth player will not run out but breaks to the out instead and turns to the field and then proceeds vertical. The trial would be run by the bunch sides. |
| Double Post / Switch | Here you have to run a switch corner post and hitch. Keep a post to the bunch side, deep out and post clear out. |
Slant vertical play is error-free because it is tough to defend as most defenders play the pressman trick where the defensive back turns their back to the Quarterback.
Similarly, Double Switch is one of the best plays against the zone as it will help you to break all coverages. But you have to ensure the route stems are good from the receivers.
The Double Post Wheel concept is most effective against the pass coverage as you will get a freewheel to run. If the mid-field is free, the post or the deep slant could also be open.
Likewise, the post-slant concept is an effective complement to the post-wheel. This play is more applicable when defenses switch assignments or move over the top post.
Trail play against the zone is considered one of the great beaters for man-to-man cover and zone coverage. Here you would have three receiver options; deep post, shallow post, and slant by-in down the field. This will make it easier to score a touchdown.
Out & Up play is effective when you find out the aggressive defenders are breaking on the out. Hitting them with this concept will most probably lead you to the score. It is to be kept in mind that your runner runs them out more than a few times before striking them with the trick.
Some other widely applicable plays are Mesh Concept, 4-Verticals, Post-Corner / Whip, etc., that could run your scoreboard.
7 on 7 Flag Football Playbook
7 on 7 Flag Football Playbook suggests various offensive and defensive plays such as out and go, B formation D run right, cover-2-defense, and more.
Let’s look at some youth flag football plays 7 on 7, the attack and the defense in the list below:
7 on 7 Flag Football Offense
- Out and Go: This is a great play if you want to create a free path in the middle of the field if you are stuck deep in the ground. In this move, the running backs will draw the defenders from the center of the pitch.
- B Formation D run Right: It is a great fake play if the QB’s throws are not breaking through. Here, one player will start swoop run and gather defenders around him and then the quarterback can throw a pass to other undisturbed runners in the free zone.
- Counter Run Right: This trick will accumulate most of the players on the left side of the field. This is done when a strong running back fake runs on the left and transitions to the right of the open field space.
- Play Action Run Option: In this play, the quarterback fakes up to three runner transitions on the left side of the field and takes the balls himself over the free right side of the field.
- I Slant: It is a passing play and is effective and destructive to defense while you are at the cusp of the end zone. The same technique gave the 2015 Super Bowl to the Patriots.
- Slants and Go
- X Counter left
- Shotgun Motion Left Sweep
- Shotgun Receiver Swirl
- Stack Right Pose Left
7 on 7 Flag Football Defense
- Cover-2 Defense (2-1-2)
- Cover-2 Defense (1-3-1)
- Fire Zone Defense (4-3)
- Blitz
- Short Pass Stopper
- Spread Defense
- High Press
- Cover the Runner
- Hail Mary Coverage
- The Surprise
The 2-1-2 cover-3 defense is one of the most standard defenses of the NFL. It consists of two sets of defenders on the field. The first will guard the quarterback and the second will intercept the long throws.
Fire Zone Defense is another effective defense play used when the offense team is planning a big throw or you feel like a big throw will be made. With this, you will be able to challenge the catch as you will have three safeties in the backfield, cover the catchers, and can limit the runner’s route providing less space.
Blitz in football is another crucial defensive move in the flag football game. The defense will line up in a 5-2 combination for this. Set your first line at the line of scrimmage and two other players at the back. This will disrupt the QB and make them throw a wild pass without giving them much time to think.
The short pass-stopper move will block up the middle of the pitch and is used when you know the offense will throw a short pass somewhere in the field.
7 on 7 Flag Football Rules
7 on 7 flag football rules permit only direct handoffs, forward passes to be received beyond the line of scrimmage, a 7-second pass clock to QB, etc.
The flag football rules are different according to the institution or organization hosting it. But the basic rules are similar in most of the cases.
NIRSA Flag Football Rules
- Games should be played between two teams of 7 players each.
- The official ball must meet the regular shape and size standard for a regulation football. Men should use regular-sized balls only while women can use regular, intermediate, youth, or junior sizes.
- Jersey should be long enough to remain tucked inside the pants and short enough to leave a four-inch space from the bottom of the Jersey to the player’s waistline.
- Player can not wear any damage causing hard stiffed materials, including jewelry, pads, and shoes with string metallic detachable cleats, etc.
- The playtime will be of 40 minutes divided into two halves of 20 minutes each. The intermission will be of five minutes.
- When the ball becomes dead in possession of a player the player should not kick the ball, spike the ball into the ground and throw the ball up in the air. Otherwise, it would be considered foul.
- The player should not attempt to influence a decision by officials, disrespectfully address the official, be on the field illegally, leave the team box and enter the field during a fight, etc.
NFL Flag Football Rules
- No lateral or pitches handoffs are permitted. Only direct hand-offs are allowed.
- All passes must be thrown forwarded and received staying beyond the line of scrimmage.
- To get rid of the ball, the quarterback is given a seven-second pass clock
- Unless the ball is handed off to the quarterback first, he/she can not run with the ball.
- Offensive players must be steered clear of the rusher and may not get in their way.
- A defensive player is allowed to rush if he/she is lined up seven yards off the line of scrimmage.
- A defender is allowed to rush after the ball is handed off.
- Interceptions are returnable.
- A loss of down and yardage is given for all offensive flag football penalties.
- An automatic first down and yardage for some will be given for all defensive flag football penalties
Flag Football Trick Plays
Flag football trick plays are reverse to flea-flicker, Hook and Ladder, Motion Slant out, WR Pitch, Shotgun Slot Reverse, Screen and Pass, and more.
This flag football plays 7 on 7 are used to score in conditions where conventional plays can not benefit you. It can widely fool the defenders.
The tricks play a significant role in a team to dominate the scoreboard and the positions on the field. The moves will surprisingly give you points in a place where others would stop thinking of gaining one.
Let’s look at some trick plays and their formation in the table below:
| Name of Play | Formation |
| Reverse to Flea Flicker | Place the QB in Shotgun. Now one player takes an inside handoff from Q. Another player will receive the ball from that layer while moving to the backfield. Now, the quarterback receives the ball from the current player and passes it to any receiver of his convenience. |
| Shotgun Slot Reverse Throw Back | The weak side receiver reaches the center while the slot side receiver comes to the backfield and receives the handoffs from the QB. Now that receiver reaches to the weak side and screens a strong guard running sideline routes or a quarterback fly route to pass the ball. |
| Screen and Pass | This is a passing trick where a player will quickly pass the wide receiver who then drops back and pass it to another wide receiver or lineman on the other side of the field. |
| Screen Reverse | Here the ball is handed to the running back by the wide receiver after getting a quick pass and dropping back. |
| Center Shovel and Pass | In this play, a quick pass is handed to the center and a flag is run by a strong-side receiver and the halfback will run a flat route. |
| Interior Hook and Lateral | In this trick, the G will pitch the catch to the crossing wide receiver after catching it. The pitch will successfully block the defender trailing in the pattern. After that, the QB will fake the screen and throw it to the guard running the hook. If the guard is covered the QB should look for WR running up the sideline. |