Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverines football history. Heater has been an assistant football coach at ten universities since 1976. He has been affiliated with College Football Hall of Fame coaches Bo Schembechler (as a player), Earle Bruce (as an assistant at Ohio State and Colorado State), and Lou Holtz (as an assistant at Notre Dame). He has been on coaching staffs of national championship teams at Notre Dame (1988) and Florida (2006 and 2008).

A native of West Virginia, Heater attended Columbian High School in Tiffin, Ohio. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored more than 100 points in both his junior year in 1969 and his senior year in 1970. In his three years as a starter for Columbian, Heater accounted for 3,530 total yards and scored a total of 310 points, including 158 points as a senior. He was also selected as an All-Ohio player in his senior year. In February 1971, Heater announced that he had accepted a scholarship to attend the University of Michigan.

Heater played at the running back position for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football team from 1972 to 1974. He accumulated 1,995 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. In October 1972, Heater established himself as a star in his third game for Michigan, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for 94 yards and a third touchdown in a 35–7 victory over Navy. In its game coverage, the UPI credited Heater, who came into the game as a substitute, for firing the Wolverines' 28-point third quarter:

"THE Wolverines blew scoring opportunities and were sluggish on offense until substitute Chuck Heater, a six-foot, 205-pound tailback from Tiffin, Ohio, entered the game as Harry Banks' replacement in the second quarter. The darting sophomore gained 89 yards, 59 of them in the third quarter when he scored on a 13-yard run off left tackle to give Michigan a 28-0 lead."

Heater had four 100-yard rushing games for the Wolverines, gaining 155 yards against Illinois in 1972, 133 yards against Iowa in 1973, 128 yards against Indiana in 1973, and 101 yards against Wisconsin in 1974. His longest run from scrimmage was for a 71-yard gain against Indiana in 1973.

As a sophomore in 1972, Heater reportedly found himself in Schembechler's doghouse after missing a day of practice after his wedding. The Chicago Tribune reported: "You know why Chuck Heater, the Michigan back, got in Coach Bo Schembechler's doghouse? Chuck skipped a day of practice for a honeymoon. Not sufficient excuse, ruled Bo."

At the time he completed his college career in 1974, Heater ranked fourth all-time among Michigan's career rushing leaders since official records were maintained starting in 1949. The only players ahead of him were Billy Taylor (3,072 yards), Ron Johnson (2,417 yards) and Ed Shuttlesworth (2,333 yards). Heater also received the Fielding Yost Award in 1975 as the most outstanding academic and athletic performance by a senior. The Wolverines compiled a record of 41–3–1 during Heater's four years with the team and won or tied for the Big Ten Conference championship every season.

After completing his senior year at Michigan, Heater was selected to play as a running back for the Blue team in the 1974 Blue–Gray Football Classic.