SC UPDATE: TROJANS OPT FOR NEW LOOK.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

In a move that will harken back to the 1960s, USC plans to switch to ``throwback'' football uniforms beginning in the 2002 season.

The Trojans will don uniforms that are nearly identical to those worn more than 35 years ago. The new look features a single gold shoulder stripe on the home cardinal jersey, with small gold numbers sewn on the sleeves.

On the road, USC will wear white jerseys with cardinal shoulder stripes and cardinal numbers on the sleeves. The Trojans have not worn numbers on their sleeves for more than 30 years.

The current jersey, which has three stripes on the sleeve, has been worn by USC teams since the early 1970s.

USC will not change its uniforms this season because equipment manufacturers have balked at making the change so soon, according to coach Pete Carroll. There is a chance the new uniforms will be ready for one game next season.

But two minor changes will go into effect immediately: The Trojans will switch back to gray face masks after wearing red for the past 13 seasons, and also wear white shoe laces instead of black.

``That was my idea,'' Carroll said of the changes.

USC wore similar ``throwback'' jerseys in 1992 against Notre Dame, but those shirts did not have numbers on the sleeves.

This is not a complete throwback, however, because in the 1960s, USC wore cardinal helmets with no logo.

No changes will be made to USC's helmets. Former coach Larry Smith altered the logo for the 1992 season, but his successor, John Robinson, switched back to the traditional Trojan logo.

The new uniforms are identical to those worn by 1965 Heisman Trophy winner and current athletic director Mike Garrett and similar to those worn by 1968 Heisman Trophy winner, O.J. Simpson.