 Hardin returned to his alma mater, Pacific, in 1952 as the backfield coach under Ernie Jorge.He then moved on to Porterville College, a community college in Porterville, California, where in two seasons as head football coach, 1952 and 1953, he tallied a mark of 9–8.In 1955, Hardin was hired as an assistant football coach at the United States Naval Academy under Eddie Erdelatz.