Two More RB's In Rider Stable

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today they have signed import running backs Lavarus Giles and Marcus Thigpen to contracts. Financial details of the signings were not released.

Giles (6’2 – 215 lbs) played for Jackson State and in his senior year accumulated 87 carries for 555 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games. In addition to playing football at the high school and college level, Giles claimed a number of track and field awards in the 100 and 200 metre dash. The 24-year old signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in March, 2009. In four games played with the Bombers, Giles had 14 carries for 54 yards and two touchdowns. The Mississippi native entered the CFL in September, 2008 when he signed as a free agent with the Calgary Stampeders.

Thigpen (5’9 – 190 lbs) spent four seasons at Indiana and finished second in school history with 2,009 career kick return yards, third with 4,658 career all-purpose yards and tied for eighth with 21 career touchdowns. He became the first player in school history with over 1,000 rushing yards (1,621), receiving yards (1,028) and kickoff return yards (2,009) and became the 19th rusher in school history to cross the 1,500-yard rushing barrier and just the fifth player in Indiana lore to go over 4,500 career all-purpose yards. Thigpen also finished fifth in Big Ten history with 2,009 kick return yards, tied for third with three kick return scores and shared sixth with 81 kickoff returns. Prior to signing with the Riders, the 23-year signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos in August, 2009 and originally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in April, 2009.