The Georgia Bulldogs are heavy favorites against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in Week 2. Despite Georgia being big-time favorites, coach Kirby Smart still showed a lot of respect to Western Kentucky.
The Hilltoppers lost a 49-14 blowout at the Nevada Wolfpack in Week 1 and it does not get any easier. The Hilltoppers play No. 2 Georgia and then No. 5 Indiana in back-to-back weeks.
The Hilltoppers have competed at the Football Bowl Subdivision level for 20 years, but have really begun to find a foothold in the past decade. Western Kentucky has shown consistency in recent seasons. Under coach Tyson Helton, the Hilltoppers have made a bowl appearance in all seven seasons. Helton has won at least eight games in six of his seven years in charge
with the only exception being the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.
As usual, coach Smart did not give any bulletin board material for his opponent during his press conference. Here's what he said about Georgia's Week 2 opponent, Western Kentucky.
Smart's opening statement on Western Kentucky
"I know (Western Kentucky coach) Tyson Helton and have a lot of respect for him as a coach in the program," Smart said. "They've done a tremendous job with their program over years, and they've got several members from our staff that are working up there.
"We've got a close connection. Their coaches come down and work our camps in the summer, and they've got a lot of Georgia kids in their program. It should be a great opportunity for us to continue to get better.
"We have a saying around here, you don't have to be sick to get better. That's been the motto of last week and this week."
Smart on Western Kentucky's consistency
"It shows you that they have a tremendous evaluation process," Smart said. "They've done a great job of developing players. It's changed, and he's changed with it because they've had to dip into the portal and take more kids out of the portal because more of theirs have moved on through the portal."
Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Threads for more Georgia football coverage!
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: What Kirby Smart said about Western Kentucky
