“He got that dawg in him,” is a popularized phrase that is presently as much a part of a sporting event as blaming the officials. Once a game, you either hear it, say it, or read it. It is inescapable. Even Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh defined it during the 2022 season.
“A dawg is a disciplined athlete with grit.”
Grit being the keyword here — a dawg could be further defined as a player who is a voracious competitor; a player that is going to do anything and everything in their power to win.