Former Ole Miss football player and M-Club Hall of Fame inductee James Poole Jr. died on Sunday, Feb. 8, at age 76.
Poole played tight end for Ole Miss from 1969-71. He tallied 110 career receptions for 1,196 yards and six touchdowns during his career and earned All-SEC first team honors in two of his three seasons. In November 2025, he was inducted into the M-Club Hall of Fame.
During his sophomore season, Poole caught 43 passes for 456 yards, which was, at the time, a record for sophomore pass-catchers at Ole Miss. He played in three bowl games; his best postseason performance came in the 1971 Gator Bowl against Auburn, when he caught nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Despite his accomplishments at the collegiate level, Poole’s professional career never took hold. After graduating in 1972, Poole signed with the New York Giants as a free agent but did not make the final roster.
Poole comes from a family of celebrated Ole Miss athletes. His father, James E. “Buster” Poole, played for the New York Giants after college and served as an assistant under head coach John Vaught. Ray and Barney Poole, James Poole Jr.’s uncles, also played football for Ole Miss. South Poole Drive in Oxford is named after the Poole family.
Poole worked as a certified public accountant in Jackson, Miss., where he was raised. He retired in 2013. He is survived by his wife Gayle, three children and 10 grandchildren.
