SANTA CLARA – Four days before the 49ers' 2008 regular-season finale, Mike Singletary was asked whether Mike Martz's offense was the best he had seen since joining the 49ers.

Singletary paused. When he opened his mouth, he didn't praise Martz, as expected. He, instead, cited the team's 2006 attack.

"I think a couple of years ago, we had Norv Turner," Singletary said Dec. 24. "I thought Norv ended on a good note."

Turner, the coach in San Diego, was not available when Singletary's search to find Martz's replacement began a week later. So Singletary ended up hiring the next-best thing: Jimmy Raye, a 32-year assistant who coached under Turner in Oakland from 2004 to 2005 and who, like Turner, is a disciple of longtime coordinator Ernie Zampese's so-called digit offense.

Raye, 62, on Thursday said the offense he will bring to San Francisco will be similar to the one Turner ran in 2006. Two of the team's quarterbacks, Alex Smith and Shaun Hill, were on the roster then and would not have to learn an entirely new system this spring.

The 49ers' 2009 offense also will resemble the one he ran in Kansas City from 1998 to 2000, Raye said. Those Chiefs teams were known for targeting the tight end – Tony Gonzalez, for the most part – in the passing game and for their hard-nose, up-the-gut rushing attacks. Gonzalez finished with 1,203 receiving yards in 2000 while quarterback Elvis Grbac threw for 4,169 yards and 28 touchdowns that season.

Reached via telephone at his New York home, Raye said he will return to Santa Clara on Wednesday to begin film study on the team's personnel. He's only had glimpses of the players he will inherit so far but said what he's seen is encouraging.

"I don't know if I can compare a Vernon Davis to a Tony Gonzalez because I haven't seen (Davis) yet," Raye said. "I know he has a tremendous upside. We will try to see if that's a fit for him. Frank Gore seems like he has the capability to carry the ball 25 times (a game)."

One component Raye already realizes he is missing is a fullback. Raye favors a two-back system and had a lot of success in Kansas City with fullback Tony Richardson, a four-time Pro Bowl player. Richardson carried the ball 147 times for 697 yards in 2000.

"(We) might need a big, square-backed guy who can go in and bloody some noses," Raye said.

Raye also said he has spoken with Turner about Smith, the former No. 1 draft pick who had his best season under Turner in 2006. Smith would have to agree to a significant pay decrease to remain with the 49ers, but it seems increasingly likely he will remain on the roster. Smith, who had two shoulder surgeries in the last year, began throwing a football three weeks ago and should be at full strength by the spring.

"I've talked to him a lot about Alex," Raye said of Turner. "He was very high on him. He qualified that with 'as long you do the things that (Smith) can do.' Now, what those things are is something I have to find out."

As far as his compatibility with Singletary, Raye said the two had a productive meeting Wednesday, which led to Singletary offering Raye the job. Although the interview was their first face-to-face meeting, Raye revealed that he had had numerous phone conversations with Singletary that began shortly after the 2008 season ended.

"He wants a tough-minded football team," Raye said. "He's a middle linebacker that understands the grunt part of the game, the briar patch if you will. He wanted to find someone with a similar vision."

Read Matthew Barrows' 49ers blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.