Flag football is an exciting game that is played at the high school, college club and intramural level, and is also played recreationally by veteran players who don't want to hang up their shoulder pads and call it a career. While there is no tackling, there is blocking, and players take the game seriously. Designing plays and coming up with the proper strategy can often mean the difference between winning and losing.
Step 1
Roll out when you are playing quarterback. Having a mobile quarterback is often the biggest key when playing flag football. Your quarterback is not necessarily going to take off and run with the football, but by rolling out in the direction of his passing arm--to his right for right-handed throwers and to his left for lefties--he will buy time for his receivers to get open and make an unimpeded throw.
Step 2
Get your fastest receivers to run plays on the outside. The further away they are from the ball, the less coverage they will have to contend with. In flag football, the quarterback will not have a lot of time to wait for a play to develop. If the receiver can get a free release off the line of scrimmage, the quarterback can put the pass up and have the receiver run underneath it to make a big play.
Step 3
Throw the ball to your tight end in third-down situations. The tight end should not have a problem escaping the jam at the line of scrimmage. Once he runs eight to 12 yards upfield, he can turn around and screen off the defender with his body. The quarterback can deliver the ball and the receiver can turn upfield and run after catching it. He may not get many yards after making the catch, but he has caught the ball for the first down.
Step 4
Give the running back an option to pass on handoffs or pitchouts. It is very difficult to have a consistent running game in flag football. You may break and occasional play, but even the fastest receivers can have difficulty getting through the defense consistently. If you have a fast running back and the defense sees him running to the outside, the defensive back or linebacker may come up to stop him and pull the flag. That will leave the receiver open and the running back can throw the ball to him for a big play.
Step 5
Throw the ball to a wide number of receivers. The opposing defense will catch on if you are always going to your "No. 1" receiver and they may sit on the route and intercept the ball when you go to that players on fifth consecutive throw. You need to find your other receivers to keep those players happy and keep the defense from forcing the turnover.
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