Alex Smith gets Jimmy Raye's vote

<p>SANTA CLARA — Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye is confident the 49ers have found their quarterback of the future.</p><p>Now, if that player can demonstrate the same confidence, the 49ers might be onto something.</p><p>Quarterback Alex Smith has played 4½ games since replacing Shaun Hill as the starter on Oct. 25 with the 49ers trailing the Houston Texans 21-0 at halftime. While the 49ers have yet to string together four quarters of outstanding offense, Raye has seen enough to make him optimistic for the future.</p><p>“The quarterback play has been very good and at times it has even tilted toward being outstanding,” Raye said Thursday as the 49ers continued preparations to face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Candlestick Park on Sunday.</p><p>Raye said he has been impressed with the second half of games against the Texans and the Green Bay Packers, in which Smith threw three touchdown passes.</p><p>“It has nothing to do with the score or the other team or the opponent and whether they're playing bend-don't-break,” Raye said. “Once you do that, you do it. And he has demonstrated on several occasions that he's capable of scoring points.”</p><p>Raye said Smith is “well on his way,” citing his maturity, toughness and mobility.</p><p>“He has all those things,” Raye said. “It's his confidence that we're continuing to expand to let him be the best he can be. Whether that will be in the upper echelon in the NFL, I don't know. But he certainly has a chance to be good enough.”</p><p>Smith has completed 61.3 percent of his 155 passing attempts this season with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. Smith, who entered the season with a career passer rating of 63.5, currently ranks 19th in the NFL with an 81.5 rating.</p><p><b>BRUCE WILL SIT</b></p><p>Veteran receiver Isaac Bruce will not suit up for Sunday's game, coach Mike Singletary said. Bruce did not practice today with an ankle injury. Bruce is no longer a starter. And all the non-starters play special teams. Bruce does not play on special teams.</p><p>“We have some starters who play a lot of snaps and they have go a lot of special teams, and anybody we can get to help on special teams to get down there an extra body can take some of the load off our starters, either a cornerback or a linebacker or whatever else,” Singletary said.</p><p>“I had a good long talk with Isaac and he was a champion about it. So going forward, this is the best thing for our team and gives us the best chance to win.”</p><p>Jason Hill will take over as the full-time No. 3 receiver behind starters Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan.</p><p><b>EXTRA POINTS</b></p><p>Veteran Dre' Bly will start at left cornerback against the Jaguars in place of Tarell Brown, who took over for Nate Clements on Nov. 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. Brown struggled in the 49ers' loss to the Green Bay Packers last week.</p><p>Linebacker Takeo Spikes (hamstring) did not practice and remains a likely game-time decision. He spent the early portion of practice working with the team's training staff on back-pedaling and other rehabilitation drills.</p><p>Third quarterback Nate Davis saw significant time with the scout team as a receiver. No, there's not a position change coming. Because teams often run short of players to practice, there is a need for players to fill in. Davis caught at least two passes from backup quarterback Shaun Hill against the 49ers' starting defense.</p><p>There is a “good possibility” Josh Morgan will take over kickoff returns, Singletary said. And Brandon Jones will handle the punt returns.</p><p>Left guard David Baas (ankle) returned to full practice on Thursday. He is expected to start on Sunday.</p><p>For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com.</p>