New Shiny USC Helmets for the 2014 Season?

In 1992, the Trojans played with Tommy Trojan’s image on their helmets. In 2002, Pete Carroll brought back the John McKay era jerseys from the 1960s and added a little shine to the traditional USC football helmet. In 2011, they wore black socks, followed by a 2012 season in which they wore cardinal and gold socks, along with with cardinal and gold cleats.

For most schools, those are tiny, minute changes that people hardly notice.

At USC, they’re catastrophic shifts in fashion that bring forth irrational anger, and cries of lost and/or re-gained tradition.

So get ready for uniform freakout part 706, as the Trojans could/might/perhaps wear shiny and reflective helmets for the 2014 season.

Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News has the scoop, and to be clear, it’s seemingly just that at this point. A scoop and speculation. But nonetheless, enough to freak out boosters. So let’s have at it.

Here’s the helmet, which Wolf reports was made by USC’s equipment provider and semi-confirmed to be looming by a player.

At first glance, it looks an awful lot like the shiny chrome-like helmets that were worn at Washington last season, but more tame like Oregon’s shiny green helmets.

Also, the color looks to be a tad brighter. The helmets have been metallic cardinal since 2002 and have had goldflaked facemasks since 2012, but this is surely the most aggressive cardinal helmet that has surfaced.

Without a doubt, this would be a play for recruiting and a morale boost to the players. Like it or not, the players love new and alternative looks. Yes, they even loved those cardinal and gold Nikes that you hated. And Lane Kiffin’s black socks and made you angry.

It’s a sign of the times and if the players keep pushing, things like this will happen. It’s only natural, as college football slowly but surely becomes like soccer, in which teams have a new uniform each season.

Steve Sarkisian was open to alternates at Washington and while he said he wouldn’t change the uniforms at USC, minor tweaks to satisfy players and recruits seem likely, if not a given.

This is just the first step.

What’s your thoughts?

Love it? Hate it? Indifferent? Would you rather worry about things that will actually impact the outcome of a football game? Vote in our poll and leave your comments below.

What do you think of the shiny USC helmet concept?

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