 From 1959 to 1964, Hardin was the head coach at Navy, where he compiled a 38–22–2 record.His Navy teams posted five consecutive wins against archrival Army, a feat not surpassed until 2007 when Paul Johnson's Navy squad won their sixth consecutive contest in the Army–Navy Game.Hardin coached Navy's two winners of the Heisman Trophy, Joe Bellino, who received the award in 1960, and Roger Staubach, who did so in 1963.