RIMERSBURG — Call it a sixth sense.

Brody Shick has a special insight into what’s going on inside the head of the opposing quarterback.

It takes one to know one — Shick is a quarterback himself for the Union football team.

It is when Shick is on defense, though, as a safety for the Golden Knights that he takes full advantage of his expanded knowledge.

“I think it helps in a way that I’m a quarterback, too,” Shick said. “I know when I lock on to a receiver with my eyes. When I’m in my three-step drop (at safety), I’m looking at the same things I’d look at if I was the quarterback.”

Shick has used this advantage well this season. Through eight games, the senior already has nine interceptions.

He’s one of the reasons why Union is 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference Small heading into a game Friday at home against Keystone.

“He’s quick. He’s agile,” said Union football coach Dave Louder. “He played cornerback last year and he had (four) interceptions. He’s a natural and when the ball is in the air, he can go up and snatch it.”

Shick, though, was uncomfortable making the move from corner to safety this season.

“Coach Louder was confident enough in me that he thought I could help the team there,” Shick said. “That made it easier.

“It’s a lot different than playing corner,” he added. “When I played corner, my responsibility was to play run first, contain the run. At safety, I play pass first.”

It didn’t take Shick long to get comfortable.

He picked off three passes in Week 2 against Punxsutawney in a big 21-6 win. Shick also had two interceptions in a loss to Clarion three weeks ago and has at least one interception in six of the eight games Union has played this season.

“Honestly, I am kind of surprised I’ve had that many,” Shick said. “I’d like to get more.”

He may get them. More and more teams in the KSAC are throwing more and more passes — a fact Shick knows first hand. He has already thrown 96 passes this season.

Union is defending against the pass more, too, because the Golden Knights are getting early leads against their opponents.

“When we shut down the run and get ahead, they have to start passing,” Shick said.

And when the ball is in the air, Shick has a simple plan.

“Catch it,” he said. “And if I think I can’t, hit the receiver so he can’t.”

Shick is playing so well despite undergoing two knee surgeries in the past year.

At the beginning of basketball season last winter, Shick had surgery on his right knee to remove torn cartilage.

At the beginning of baseball season in the spring, Shick injured his left knee and had to have surgery again to remove torn cartilage. He also sprained the MCL in that knee.

He began the football season wearing braces on both knees, but quickly chucked them.

Shick said he is not worried about another knee injury.

“If I think about it, that’s when I’ll probably get hurt,” he said.

Shick doesn’t know if he will play football in college.

“I’d like to, but I’m not very big,” said the 5-foot-9, 150-pound Shick. “That’s why I’m glad we’re having the season we’re having. I love my team and I couldn’t do it without them. This is our senior year and we wanted it to be the best.”