Kirby Smart: Paul Johnson is one of best in business

November 18, 2017 Athens: Georgia head coach Kirby Smart arrives with his team during the Dawg Walk before playing Kentucky in a NCAA college football game on Saturday, November 18, 2017, in Athens.    Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: ccompton@ajc.com

November 18, 2017 Athens: Georgia head coach Kirby Smart arrives with his team during the Dawg Walk before playing Kentucky in a NCAA college football game on Saturday, November 18, 2017, in Athens. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Speaking with the media at his Monday press conference, Kirby Smart had high praise for Georgia Tech and coach Paul Johnson.

Georgia Tech has defeated Georgia two of the last three tries, including its lone shot against Smart’s Bulldogs.

The two in-state rivals meet again in Atlanta on Saturday for a noon kickoff.

“I know our kids and our seniors will be excited to go play in Atlanta, and also play a team that in the last three years has beaten us twice,” Smart said. “So it gives us an opportunity to send these seniors out the right way. And great rivalry game that’s been in this state for a long time. They’ve got a really good offensive football team and a very good defensive football team that’s doing a really good job on third downs. … Very sound in what they do. Coach (Paul) Johnson is one of the best in the business at what he does. He knows the answers to it, he knows the problems with it and you’re not going to trick them. You’ve got to be very disciplined and you’ve got to do a great job getting off blocks and tackling. That’ll be the objective this week as we prepare for Georgia Tech.”

The Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry dates to 1893. Saturday’s game will be the 112th between the teams. The series is the 13th oldest and 19th most-played in major-college football. The past four games in the series have been decided by seven points or fewer. The teams have traded wins on each other's field in the last four games. Paul Johnson is 3-6 versus Georgia as Tech’s coach. He has never defeated the Bulldogs at home. Kirby Smart is in his second year as Georgia's head coach. His Bulldogs fell to