RULES

a neW kind of football 

The fourth kind

There have been three major variations of gridiron tackle football: American, Canadian, and Indoor/Arena. Zenith gridiron football is the fourth type, blending elements of all three while incorporating aspects of Australian rules football and introducing entirely new, innovative rules.

It is a fast-paced, wide-open game with greater outcome probabilities, creating more dynamic and unpredictable play. In short, we built a better mousetrap.

The following is what separates our game from the most popular gridiron football league:


Field Design & Dimensions

Field

  • 120 yards in total length

  • 80 yards from goal line to goal line

  • 60 yards wide

  • 20 yards deep end zones

  • * These dimensions ensure ample room for dynamic and strategic play while fitting within most stadiums.

Goal posts

  • Four straight posts with no crossbar, positioned 3 yards behind the end zone.

  • Two tall main goal posts in the center, standing 54 feet high and 4 yards apart.

  • Two shorter side posts, 36 feet high, positioned 4 yards wider on each side of the main posts.

  • * Having these extra posts with no crossbar and narrower spacing rewards more accurate kicking while increasing scoring opportunities. Placing the posts one yard further back helps ensure player safety.

Field lines

  • Field lines and hash marks are 5 inches thick.

  • * This added thickness improves visibility and fits the shading gradient system.

  • lines, hash marks, and sidelines are white on the edges but transition in shades—black at midfield, gradually lightening in shades of gray near the goal lines in a gradient. The goal line, end line, and end zone sidelines are all white.

  • * This shading system makes field position easier to determine from different angles.

  • Sideline and end line boundaries: 3 yards thick.

  • * Adding an extra yard to boundary thickness increases player safety and reduces play interference.

  • Hash marks: 20 yards from the sidelines at midfield, gradually narrowing toward the goal line so that they are 27.5 yards from the sidelines at the 1-yard mark.

Gameplay & Rules

1. Players

  • Both teams play with 12 players on the field, except during powerplay situations.

  • * This works better with a wider field and deeper end zones, adding more depth to matchups and strategy.

2. Downs and Distance

  • Teams have five downs to advance 15 yards.

  • * This promotes sustained drives and reduces clock stoppages without giving an unfair advantage to the offense.


3. Clock Rules

Play clock

  • The play clock is a 30-second running clock.

Game clock

  • Except for the last two minutes of a half, the game clock runs continuously, stopping only for scoring plays, changes of possession, penalties, injuries, or timeouts.

  • In the last two minutes of a half, the clock stops when the ball goes out of bounds. It also stops until the ball is spotted when a first down is converted.

Clock stoppages

  • Between quarters, there will be a two-minute break, after which the play clock starts to run.

  • Halftime will be 10 minutes, after which the play clock will start to run.

  • The time between regulation and overtime, as well as the time between any additional overtimes, will be two minutes, after which the play clock will begin to run.

  • After a scoring play or change of possession, the clock will stop for 30 seconds, after which the game clock and play clock will begin to run.

  • * These time-saving measures will increase the tempo of the game and reduce overall game time.

4. Timeouts

  • Each team gets two full, two-minute timeouts per game.

  • Each team also receives three additional 30-second timeouts.

  • These timeouts carry over into overtime.

  • At the end of each half, the two-minute warning will last two minutes, after which the play clock will begin to run.

  • * This reduces game stoppage time and adds another layer of strategy by allowing timeouts to be used at any point in the game.

5. Scoring System

Touchdowns

  • Touchdowns of 40+ yards: 7 points.

  • * This rewards explosive big plays and adds another dynamic to scoring.

Conversions

  • After scoring a touchdown, a team will attempt a conversion from the 15-yard line.

  • 1 point: Advance to the 10-yard line.

  • 2 points: Advance to the 5-yard line.

  • 3 points: Advance into the end zone.

  • * This conversion system is far more dynamic and leads to a greater variety of outcomes.

Field goals

  • 4 points are awarded when the ball is kicked through the main goal posts from 60+ yards.

  • 4 points are awarded when the ball is drop-kicked through the main goal posts, regardless of distance.

  • 1 point is awarded when the ball is kicked inside and through the side posts but outside the main posts.

  • Field goals can hit the ground or a member of the receiving team and bounce through the uprights, as long as it is not touched by a member of the kicking team other than the kicker.

  • * These changes add new dynamics to scoring and encourage teams to attempt long field goals instead of punting.

Kickoff Scoring

  • Duce: 2 points are awarded for a kickoff kicked between the two main posts.

  • Single: 1 point is awarded for a kickoff kicked through and inside the side posts but outside the main posts.

  • A duce or single can hit the ground or a member of the receiving team and bounce through the uprights, as long as it is not touched by a member of the kicking team other than the kicker.

  • * This kickoff scoring adds value to the kicking game and introduces another dynamic to kickoffs.

Long Safety

  • A safety that occurs in the back half of the end zone is worth three points.

  • * This additional point for a longer safety takes advantage of the larger end zones and rewards defensive play.

6. Onside Punts and Field Goals

  • The kicker, punter, and any players lined up behind the ball at the time of the kick or punt can legally recover a field goal attempt or punt if it travels 10 or more yards.

  • * This adds a surprise element that can change games.

7. Punt return and coverage rules

  • No fair catches.

  • 5-Yard Halo Rule: Coverage players must maintain a 5-yard halo around returners.

  • * These punting rules encourage punt returns while addressing player safety.

8. Penalty Banking Rule

  • Instead of declining penalties, teams can bank half of the penalty yards for strategic use later in the game.

  • Banked yards can be used at any time during the game by the offense or defense to adjust the starting position of a drive or a conversion in overtime. It does not affect down and distance at the start of a drive.

  • Banked yards remain in place throughout the game, including overtime, and do not reset between periods of play or additional overtimes.

  • * This rule adds another layer of strategy to the game and ensures violations of the rules are more justly penalized.

9. Power Plays

  • personal fouls result in a three-play power play, where the offending team must play with only 11 players

  • Additional personal fouls committed by the same team during the power play extend the power play by three more plays.

  • Power plays do not reset at the end of a quarter, half, or regulation but carry over within the game.

  • The player who commits the personal foul must sit out during the power play.

  • Power plays persist across offensive, defensive, and special teams possessions.

  • * This rule increases player safety by discouraging personal fouls while adding another layer of strategy through the matchups it creates.

10. Neutral Zone Rules

  • Standard neutral zone: 1 yard.

  • Short-yardage scenarios: The neutral zone is reduced to 1 foot when fewer than 2 yards remain to the line of gain.

  • * This rule reduces the risk to player safety in the trenches while ensuring the offense does not gain an unfair advantage in short-yardage situations.

11. Overtime Format

  • Shootout format with alternating conversion attempts from the 15-yard line.

  • If the second team exceeds the ball advancement of the first team, they win. If they advance the ball less, they lose. If both teams advance the ball the same amount, an additional overtime period will begin.

  • There is no game clock in overtime, but the 30-second play clock remains.

  • Overtime continues until a winner is decided.

  • * With the increased possibility of outcomes from conversions, this format ensures that a decisive winner can be determined without prolonging the game to extremes.

12. Kickoffs, Touchbacks, and Recovery

Kickoffs

  • Kickoffs are from the 20-yard line.

  • The kicking team has nine players lined up on the 25-yard line and three players positioned anywhere at or behind the 20-yard line at the time of the kickoff.

  • Only the kicker can move forward at the time of the kick. Once the ball is kicked, all players can move freely.

  • The receiving team has nine players lined up five yards from the kicking team at the 30-yard line. They also have three players positioned anywhere at or behind the 35-yard line.

  • There are no designated landing zones.

Kick off alignment diagram

Touchbacks

  • If a kickoff travels through or is downed in the end zone, the receiving team starts at the 20-yard line. This includes duces and singles.

Kick Recovery

  • Any kick traveling 10 or more yards can be recovered by the kicking team, including kicks that go into the end zone.

  • Kickoffs that go out of bounds without being touched by the receiving team, beyond the receiving team’s 35-yard line, will result in the ball being spotted at the receiving team’s 35-yard line.

  • Kickoffs that go out of bounds before reaching the receiving team’s 35-yard line will result in the ball being spotted where it went out of bounds.

  • * These rules encourage kick returns while maintaining the possibility of the kicking team recovering the ball at any point in the game. This spacing increases player safety while making the recovery of onside kicks more likely.

13. Catches

  • A receiver must get one foot inbounds while maintaining possession of the ball for a catch to count.

  • * This enriches the passing game and is in line with most codes of gridiron football.

14. Handballs

  • Once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage, a player may advance it to eligible receivers using an Australian football-style handball.

  • One forward handball is allowed per play after the ball has passed the line of scrimmage.

  • On return plays, a handball can only be advanced to a player lined up behind the ball when the change of possession occurs. It can only be used if the ball has traveled 15 or more yards past the original line of scrimmage. This includes defensive and special teams plays.

  • If the handball travels forward and is not caught, the ball is dead, as with a forward pass, and the ball returns to where the handball was attempted. If it does not travel forward, it is a lateral pass and remains a live ball.

  • * This blending of Australian football encourages dynamic ball movement and unique passing.