Bio

Heath Zuck was named head coach for the Clarke University football in April 2026, becoming the third head coach in the history of Pride football heading into the program's eight season of competition.

Zuck comes to CU after serving an assistant coaching role at Mount Marty University for the past six seasons, instrumental to starting the Lancers program from scratch in 2020 where they have produced an overall record of 16-38 from 2021 to 2025 in an incredibly strong Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) that is home to three teams perennially ranked in the NAIA Top 25 including Morningside, Dordt, and Northwestern.

During that span, Zuck held roles that include most recently serving as Co-Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach along with being a Special Teams Coordinator, Backfield Coach, Director of Football Operations, NAIA Clearinghouse Liaison, Equipment Manager, and Adjunct Professor at Mount Marty.

Under his instruction on the offensive side of the ball, the Lancers averaged 353.9 yards of offense per game in 2025 that included an offensive performance in the season-opening game against Clarke where Mount Marty earned a 37-22 victory behind 447 yards of total offense, their second-best mark of the season, as well as their second-highest rushing yards total of the year at 176.

Part of their offensive success came from an All-GPAC performance from running back Kyle Hirsch, who produced a strong all purpose 2025 out of the backfield, rushing for 441 yards and a touchdown as well as being a treat out of the backfield in the passing game, catching 51 balls for 495 yards and five receiving touchdowns with all three of those stats finishing second on the team.

Prior to Mount Marty, he spent the 2019 season at Wapsie Valley High School in Fairbank, Iowa, helping with the Quarterbacks, Linebackers and Special Teams where he coached multiple All-District selections. It was at Wapsie Valley where Zuck got his start into coaching, serving as an assistant at Wapsie from 2002-2007, under the tutelage of IFCA Hall of Fame Head Coach Tony Foster, coaching all facets of the game. The Warriors reached back to back championship games in 2006 and 2007, winning in 2007. In all, Zuck coached at Wapsie Valley for six years as an assistant football coach, assistant middle school baseball coach, and head middle school boy's track coach as well as the assistant boy’s high school track coach from 2018-2020, coaching multiple State Track Meet Qualifiers.

Before the 2019 season, he was an assistant football coach at Wartburg College for the 2018 season where he was the Tight Ends Coach as well as helping with Special Teams. While at Wartburg he coached an Honorable Mention All-Conference Tight End. The Knights were the 2018 American Rivers Conference Champions and Automatic Qualifier for the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Preceding his time at Wartburg College, Zuck spent 10 years at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, helping start and build the program with Head Coach Mike Woodley. Within six years of starting the program the Vikings were National Champions, earning the title in the 2013 season. While at Grand View, he began as the Running Backs Coach (2008-2014) for seven years before switching to the Tight Ends for the last three years (2015-2017) along with also coaching Kicking and Punting. While coaching those positions, he had over ten All-Conference selections. During his time at Grand View, the Vikings were Conference Champions six times, an NAIA Playoff Qualifier six times, and the previously mentioned 2013 NAIA National Champions.

A Fairbank, Iowa, native, and Wapsie Valley alum, Zuck won both All-District and All-State awards for the Warriors under IFCA Hall of Fame Head Coach Jerry Southmayd. He won state championships both as a player (1997) and a coach (2007) while at Wapsie Valley High School.

Zuck played collegiately at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa. He was a two-way starter as the kicker and punter for the Peacocks' Special Teams.

He holds a Master’s Degree from Ohio University. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern Iowa.

Heath and his wife Malynda have four children - daughters Kyra (17) & Lyndee (16), and sons Ryder (12) & Maddyx (10)………and two Beagles, Bruce & Lucy.