You could argue that the most productive thing Xzavier Gaines did this season for the Syracuse football team was relieve, at least a little, the preseason hype on Joe Fields and Perry Patterson.

Because his 2004 stats – four rushes, 11 yards, zero pass attempts – will be missed about as much as small pox.

Gaines quit the team officially Tuesday, citing academic reasons. But now that Gaines is gone, it shifts SU’s quarterback situation from a controversy to a potential catastrophe.

Just look at FSU.

Yes, Syracuse’s opponent this Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome has a little quarterback trouble of its own. SU lost its third-stringer in Gaines. Well, the Seminoles have no third-string quarterback. And, as of now, no second-stringer either.

It’s just Wyatt Sexton back there. The son of FSU running backs coach Billy Sexton is all that is left at a quarterback position decimated by injury.

‘This isn’t (Sexton’s) first barbecue, so to speak,’ SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni said, as if anyone knew what the heck that meant. ‘He’s been around Florida State football all his life. He probably knew their playbook in the ninth grade.’

FSU lost starter Chris Rix first after he suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter against Clemson. Sexton replaced Rix for two quarters before third-stringer Drew Weatherford injured his ankle on a rollout pass.

That left Sexton and …well, just Sexton.

Which is fine for FSU, so long as Sexton stays healthy. But if he falls victim to injury like FSU’s other two quarterbacks, FSU must decide between freshman Xavier Lee and walk-on Tommy Keane.

Bowden opposes dressing the true freshman, hoping to redshirt Lee this year. He opposes playing Keane because Keane has never attempted a pass in his life. And, unlike at Syracuse, that matters at FSU.

Coming into the season, neither Fields, Patterson nor Gaines had attempted a pass.

But at least Gaines had experience with the offense. At least he was a junior. At least he – wasn’t Matt Hale.

Hale is SU’s No. 3 quarterback now that Gaines is gone. All you need to know about Hale is he played Canadian football, which requires three downs to reach 10 yards. In translation: He’s not ready.

So if the injury-riddled Patterson – each of his knees have been operated on – and the freshman Fields – who limped off the field against Cincinnati – go down, SU has a three-down quarterback who didn’t start a single high school game, eh?

SU is basically where FSU is. A true freshman backup. And a no-name third-stringer.

At starter, at least, FSU has Sexton, who has proven himself capable.

‘He does an excellent job managing the team,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘He throws the ball very accurately. He’s very good at taking what the defense gives him. He’s a coach’s son, so he isn’t casual about this. This is something that is really important to him, to do well.’

Sexton completed 17 of 26 passes for 162 yards in his debut, a 41-22 win over Clemson on Sept. 26. On Oct. 2, he completed 20 of 31 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown in a 38-16 win over North Carolina.

Pasqualoni called Gaines’ departure an academic concern, but whatever the reason, Syracuse is down to two capable quarterbacks.

Florida State only has one.

‘You always like to have your healthy guys,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘The injury thing is a part of the game. Injuries play a big role in all sports. You lose people.’

SU just lost its first. Now it’s two injuries away from disaster.