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The University of Utah Athletics
Meyer Hires New Assistant Football Coach
2/18/2004 12:00 AM | Football
Feb. 18, 2004
SALT LAKE CITY -
Chuck Heater, an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Washington for the past five years, has been named the new cornerbacks coach at Utah. Heater will also serve as Utah's recruiting coordinator. He replaces Bill Busch, who left for a position at Nebraska.
Heater and Utah head coach Urban Meyer's paths have crossed before. In 1986, Meyer was a graduate assistant and Heater the secondary coach at Ohio State. They coached together again at Colorado State from 1991-92, where Meyer coached the Ram receivers and Heater was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.
"I have known Chuck for 18 years and we have kept in close contact over the years," said Meyer. "He has tremendous experience at the highest level of college football. He has coached for a national championship team (Notre Dame in 1988) and a Rose Bowl winner (Washington in 2001). His background with some of the best programs in the nation will give us insight into why those schools are so successful. The most important thing is that Chuck has a very high regard for Utah. He chose to come here and wants to be a part of what we're doing."
Heater coached Washington's running backs for the past two years after three years as the Huskies' cornerbacks coach. He also oversaw the team's punt and kick return teams. Heater served as UW's recruiting coordinator all five years on the staff and was credited with helping the school sign three recruiting classes that were ranked in the top 15 in the nation. Three of his recruiting classes produced a freshman All-American.
Prior to his stint at Washington, Heater spent six years as an assistant coach at Colorado (1993-98). He originally joined the CU staff as the director of football operations and recruiting coordinator-returning to on-field coaching in 1994 when he took over as the defensive backs coach. He coached the tight ends his last four seasons in Boulder.
Heater began his collegiate coaching career in 1976 at Northern Arizona as the running backs coach. His next stop was at Toledo, where he coached the running backs from 1977-78 and the secondary from 1979-81. He was promoted to defensive coordinator after the 1981 season, but moved on to Wisconsin and a position as the secondary coach (1982-84).
He held the same title at Ohio State from 1985-87 and at Notre Dame from 1988-90. In his first season at Notre Dame, he helped the Irish win the national championship. He then moved west, coaching alongside Meyer at Colorado State from 1991-92, before his most recent positions at Colorado and Washington.
During his 27-year college coaching career, Heater has been associated with five national coaches of the year (Bo Schembechler, Earle Bruce, Lou Holtz, Bill McCartney and Barry Alavarez). He has mentored 15 NFL draft selections and numerous all-conference picks, as well as Jim Thorpe Award winner Chris Hudson (Colorado). Heater has coached in 17 bowl games, including five on New Year's day.
Heater lettered three years at Michigan (1971-74) and participated as a freshman in 1970. A running back, Heater earned second-team all-Big Ten honors as a junior and was named honorable mention as a senior. He finished his playing career as UM's fifth all-time leading rusher with 406 career carries for 1,981 yards (a 4.9 yard per carry average). During his career at Michigan, the Wolverines went 41-3-1 and won or tied for first in the Big Ten every season. Following his senior season, he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints.
Heater graduated from Michigan in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in education and won the school's Fielding Yost Award for most outstanding academic and athletic performance as a senior.
Heater was born in Weston, W. Va., and was raised in Tiffin, Ohio. He is married to the former Deborah Dariano. The Heaters have three children: Emily, Andy and Adam. Andy will be a senior tight end at UW next fall.
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