James "Buddy" Moore graduated from Sheffield High School in 1951 where he played football and baseball. He was Captain of the 1950 Bulldog squad and was on the All Tri-Cities Football Team in 1948, 1949 and 1950.

Moore was also selected to the All-Tennessee Valley Conference Team in 1950. He also played in the Alabama All-Star Game in Tuscaloosa following his senior season.

Moore went on to letter four years in football at Florence State University (now North Alabama) before graduating in 1955. He was selected UNA Alumnus of the year in 1991.

In 1957 he got a job with Deshler as an assistant football and head track coach for two seasons before taking over the football head coaching duties in 1959. In ten seasons at the helm at Deshler High School his record was 55-36-9.

Moore coached the Tigers to the Tennessee Valley Conference championship in 1965 with a 9-0-1 record. He also coached two state track championship in 1962 and 1964.

In 1969 be coached at Scottsboro for one season with a 7-2 record before finishing out his head coaching career at Coffee High School from 1970 until his retirement after the 1981 season. His overall coaching record is 134-85-12 at four different schools.

Coach Moore was named coach of the year three times.