After two years scouting for two NBA teams and 5 years on the benches at Minnesota and Ball State, Jim Molinari was put back in charge of his own program Friday, named the new head coach at Western Illinois.

"This felt righ," said Molinarit. "I’ve called timeouts in the first 4-minutes of games where our team might be winning and say, ‘this doesn’t feel right. This doesn’t feel like who we are.’ Well, this feels right to me."

With his family still living 90 minutes away n Peoria, the Western Illinois job brings stability to Molinari’s life. Stabilizing the basketball program is a different story. The Leathernecks have lost 104 games over the past 5 seasons.

"I’m a builder. I love building. Bradley won 7 and 11 games the first two years and it’s painful. Sometimes what you understand intellectually is different when you go through it emotionally. But that’s what I do."

Its been 6 years since Bradley fired Molinari. He knows his teams there, while reasonably successful, were no offensive juggernauts. The crowds grew tired of scores in the 40’s and 50’s. That’s why Coach Mo has decided to adjust his m-o.

"I want us to be more aggressively offensive. I want us to attack more. I’m not going to come in here and promise who I’m not. It’s like saving money – you’ve got to reach a certain point total and work backwards. We’ve got to recruit that way and be more aggressive. Plus, if we don’t do that I could never recruit (my son) Billy."

In 14 years as a division-one head coach Molinari has compiled a record of 223-186. He guided Bradley to an NCAA Tournament appearance and two NITs.