Iowa went 5–4 in 1959, a season marred by a very public feud between Evy and Brechler. At the end of the 1959 season, Brechler left Iowa to become the commissioner of the Mountain States Conference. Evy, who had frequently mentioned that he never intended to grow old in coaching, clearly wanted the athletic director job. Members on the Board of Athletics, however, were concerned about the prospect of the ambitious Evashevski holding both positions. The Board told Evy that he could take either job: head football coach or athletic director. Evy chose to become Iowa's athletic director and promised to appoint a new football coach after the 1960 season.