Jacob Zier enters his first season with the Bluffton University Beavers. 

In 2022, Zier led the defensive line at Minot State University on a defense that had 16 more tackles for loss, 3 more sacks, allowed 35 fewer rushing yards per game, allowed 6 fewer points per game, and had 20 takeaways which was double the amount from the previous season. 

In 2019, 2020, and 2021 he led the cornerbacks at Minot State University. In his first season, they allowed fewer passing touchdowns than the previous season and tied for the most wins in the school’s Division 2 era. He was the Assistant Special Teams Coordinator for a unit that tied for 5th in the nation with four blocked punts. He was the Academic Coordinator in 2020 and 2021 for a team that had the highest team GPA in eight years with a 3.21 team GPA. In 2021, the defense allowed fewer passing yards per game and improved from last to first in the NSIC in passing yards per game allowed. Zier coached Knylen Miller-Levi to an NSIC North Division All-Conference First Team Defense selection and he would go on to an All-American Second Team selection in 2022. 

In 2018, Zier coached the defensive backs, kick returners, and assisted with the wide receivers at Wenatchee High School in Wenatchee, Washington. Zier worked with a group of defensive backs that, after allowing 1,961 passing yards in 2017, gave up only 1,265 passing yards in 2018. He helped Farace Nassar and Dalton Thomas earn second-team all-league recognition and helped Dalton Thomas earn the Most Improved Player award and go on to play at Southwestern College. 

In 2016 and 2017, he worked with the defensive line at Trinity International University. In his first campaign, Jacob coached a defensive line unit that produced 23 sacks on the season, just the fourth 20-sack season for Trinity since 2006. Zier worked with Godfrey Collins II, who was named to the NCCAA All-American Team and was an MSFA Midwest League honorable mention. In his second campaign, he cultivated an environment of competition where the defensive line was able to achieve more sacks, tackles, tackles for loss, fumbles forced, and fumbles recovered as a position group than the previous season. 

In 2014 and 2015, Zier coached at Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Washington. He coached Gavin Dunayski, former University of Wyoming lineman, while coaching the d-line at PHS in 2015. He coached Brady Winter, former Pacific Lutheran University standout, while coaching the strong safeties in 2014. 

Zier, a native of Puyallup, Washington, helped lead Cascade Christian High School to the school's first state championship appearance during his senior season in 2008. After walking on at Eastern Washington University in 2009 and 2010, Zier transferred to the University of Puget Sound. He played defensive end for the Loggers in 2011 and 2012. He led the team in sacks in 2012 and was named the team's defensive player of the week after his performance on Senior Day against Linfield College. Zier transferred back to Eastern Washington University after the 2012 season to finish his degree, earning a Bachelor's of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in coaching while learning from the coaching staff during the 2013 EWU season. 

Jacob married his wife, Cristina, in 2016 and the couple has three daughters, Reighlyn, Kinley, and Adelynn.