Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — Badin High School is looking for a new head football coach, and Bill Tenore wants to come home.

A perfect match? Tenore, currently working in Augusta, Ga., thinks so.

"Timing is everything," Tenore said. "I'm happy here, but my wife and I would love to get back to Cincinnati sometime soon."

The 1988 Badin graduate and former Rams assistant coach is the athletic director and head coach at Aquinas High School. He's in his third year as AD and has been the Fightin' Irish head coach for two seasons.

Tenore was the head man at Fenwick for four years and led the Falcons to the playoffs twice before heading south.

Now, with Dave Wirth leaving for Covington (Ky.) Catholic, the 38-year-old Tenore has applied for the Badin job.

"When Terry (Malone) retired at Badin, I was at Fenwick," he said. "I had given my word that I wasn't just using Fenwick as a stepping-stone so I could pass my time until Terry retired and go back to Badin.

"I kept my word and didn't apply for the job," Tenore continued. "Now we're in Georgia, and my wife and I just had our first child (Olivia) last September. We talked about when we had children and that we would want to move back home with family.

"What do you know? The Badin job opens up," he added. "That would definitely be my first choice."

Aquinas is a Catholic school similar to Badin in size. The Fightin' Irish have posted two 3-7 records under Tenore.

As a coach, Tenore said he's evolved with the times.

"We're running a little spread offense down here — I don't know if that would shock people," said Tenore, laughing. "The good thing is, I've learned a lot about offensive football. We've been running a lot of shotgun."

Tenore knows Badin's success in recent years has centered on the spread, and he believes he can adapt to whatever's best for the athletes.

"It's kind of funny how things fit together sometimes," Tenore said. "I say timing's everything. We're just trying to utilize the guys we've got."

In addition to his duties as athletic director, Tenore also is teaching religion, history and physical education at Aquinas. He could replace Wirth as a religion teacher at Badin.

"I think I bring a lot to the table," Tenore said. "I'd be a football coach, but I'd also bring a lot to the Badin community in terms of leadership and Catholic education."

Tenore also has coached collegiately at Ohio Northern, Kentucky Wesleyan and Thomas More.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2194 or rcassano@coxohio.com.