Georgia coach Kirby Smart has his team at 3-0 and No. 2 in the country ahead of Saturday’s noon ET kickoff at Missouri.

Smart was asked about K Rodrigo Blankenship’s kickoff prowess as the all-SEC player is 23-for-23 to start the season. That’s allowed Georgia to avoid any dangerous returns from the likes of South Carolina’s Deebo Samuel.

“We drive that home each week,” Smart said. “We kick it eight to nine yards deep every time but we have to keep coaching our guys as if they will bring it out.”

Smart said last year’s Missouri game didn’t lead to adjustments after the Tigers found success in Athens, rather, it was the Bulldogs doing their job.

“We gave up some plays but it wasn’t much about changing things,” he said. “Playing sound, having good technique.”

Smart said the run game is a quarterback’s best friend, and that’s no different for QB Jake Fromm, as it eliminates sacks and brings friendly downs and distance for every quarterback in the country.

Speaking of quarterbacks, Smart said Missouri QB Drew Lock looks more confident, though the play-action game and run-pass option game looks similar to last year.

“He gets it out so fast, the reaction time by DBs is minimal,” Smart said. “He’s making big throws … Their backs are more physical this year which really helps him.”

Smart noted that Missouri’s defense leads the SEC in rushing defense, and the Tigers do things that Georgia doesn’t see, which makes it tough.

Columbia, Missouri is home to Smart’s first road SEC game as a head coach, and he said there’s plenty different about his team now.

“Probably the mental condition of our team, being prepared,” he said. “We were a young team… and now we have more buy in all around … just a completely different team.”

The Georgia offensive line is also different.

“It’s bigger,” he said. “I don’t know if we had a first-round guy playing, we did have two good players in that unit but we didn’t always play well. We have more guys with more experience now.”

Smart said he would reserve judgement about his defensive backs against Missouri until after the game.

“You can play really well or you can play poorly,” he said. “Playing on the road in the SEC is always a challenge … Playing Mizzou will challenge us, we will know more about our team after this one.”

Smart recalled first meeting Derek Dooley when Smart was a player and Dooley was an assistant on Jim Donnan’s staff. He later worked with him at LSU under Nick Saban, and with the Miami Dolphins. He said they didn’t interact much, but remained friends when Dooley was at Tennessee and with the Dallas Cowboys.

Speaking of Saban, Smart explained what makes it difficult about playing against Saban.

“Your just up against a talented team,” he said. “Coach Saban does a tremendous job of performing his team. I don’t think it has anything to do with his former assistants, I don’t think anyone has success against him.”