Year 3 sees big changes for flag football

“Kudos to the refs for learning the game,” said Carlmont head coach Oscar Fabic, who is immersed in the sport. “It’s a hard job and it’s one I think parents, coaches and players need to respect more.”

For 2025, patience will be a virtue. For the third year in a row, there are rules changes. And this season, they are not minor tweaks. These are changes that fundamentally change how the game has been played the last two seasons.

“They are massive,” Fabic said. “And that’s not all. These are the big ones.”

The main changes address the offense’s ability to move the ball, and the defensive pass rush and blocking. In the first two seasons of flag football, there were limits on the running game. A team was not allowed to run the ball inside of five yards of a first down or the goal line. It was not uncommon to see teams purposely run out of bounds six yards from the mark to give themselves a chance to run the ball one more time.

Additionally, the quarterback was, for the first season and a half, allowed to run past the line of scrimmage only when the defense rushed the quarterback. But midway through 2024, that was changed to the quarterback can rush only once every four downs.

“That hurts a team like us that runs the triple option,” Fabic said.

In 2025, however, the handcuffs are off and teams can now run the ball as much as they want, wherever they want.

“Now that’s gone,” Fabic said of the running limitations. “You can push the ball into the end zone any way possible.”

Fabic said the change should help those teams with offenses that struggle with the passing game. More opportunities to run the ball allow more freedom to be a run-based team in a sport considered pass-heavy.

“I think it will create more offense,” Fabic said.

The changes on offense are countered by big changes on the defensive side of the ball, as well. In previous seasons, teams were allowed to rush the quarterback with only two designated players. Those rushers were furthered hampered by the fact they had to start their rush seven yards off the line of scrimmage.

This season, defenses can rush as many players as they want, up to seven. Additionally, defenders have to line up only one yard off the line of scrimmage, which will force quarterbacks to make quicker decisions.

“The last couple of years, quarterbacks have gotten use to the timing (of a seven-yard cushion),” Fabic said. “Now you snap the ball and someone is going to be in your face.”

Quarterbacks and other skill-position players won’t be left completely vulnerable, however, as blocking will be allowed this season for the first time.

It’s not “blocking” in the traditional sense of the word. It’s actually referred to a “screen blocking” in which a player can essentially run interference for a ball carrier, but can not make contact with the defender.

“Before on offense, there was limited blocking. It was limited to just pass protection and it was very difficult blocking because there is limited contact,” Fabic said. “Now on offense, you can block your defender. Just get in their way. The last two years, a you just had to stand still.

“You have to win with your hands and your feet. (Block with) body positioning — not with your hands.”

The biggest change to girls’ flag football this year, however, may be the addition of special teams to the game in the form of punting. The first two seasons, there was no punting. When a team wanted to “punt,” they simply told the officials, who would then run to the opposing 20-yard line to begin the next possession.

So if a team struggled on offense, a “punt” could get it out of trouble and maybe see the defense makes a play. In some cases, “That could be the equivalent of an 80-yard punt,” Fabic said.

But now, teams will have to develop a whole new unit. Two, in fact, because it there is a punt team, you need a return team.

“Now you have to find competent punters. Now you have to find gunners (the outside speedsters who run down the sidelines on punts). Find a whole host of new roles that didn’t exist before,” Fabic said. “On the other side, you need someone to catch the ball. That’s not easy, either.”

There will not be PAT attempts following touchdowns.

But other than that, this version of flag football more resembles the game that most are familiar with.

“In a lot of ways, [these changes are bringing the flag game] closer to traditional football,” Fabic said.

Scots look to repeat

The Scots may be the team in the Peninsula Athletic League that is most prepared to deal with the changes. Carlmont won the first-ever PAL championship last year and have not lost to a PAL team since play began in 2023.

Many of the PAL contenders are breaking in new quarterbacks this season, while Carlmont returns a third-year varsity starter, senior Lauren Greene, who was PAL Offensive Player of the Year in 2024.

“I think we’re very fortunate to have someone of Greene’s caliber coming back as a two-year championship starter,” Fabic said. “She’s been gung ho. Attacking everything we’re doing. … It’s hard to ask for more.”

Additionally, the Scots return two other 2024 all-league, first-team selections in senior Ameena Mohammed and junior Samantha Tow.

But there was a lot of young talent in the PAL last season and most of it is expected to return. 2024 PAL Player of Year, Burlingame’s Haleh Ansari, was only a junior last year. Junior Cailyn Lish was a second-team All-PAL selection last year for the Panthers, as well.

Mills, which finished second to Carlmont the last two seasons, lost a pair of first-team, all-league selections, but receiver Amaya Moore is expected back for her senior year. Menlo-Atherton is one of the few teams with a quarterback slated to return in senior Mae Kunihiro, while San Mateo boasts an all-around athlete in junior Kayla Lichaa, a first-team selection last year.