With Eric Taylor setting off for Austin, the Dillon Panthers needed a new coach. They now have one.

Veteran actor Chris Mulkey ("Twin Peaks," "Broken Trail") has joined the cast of NBC's second-year series, a network rep confirms. He'll have a recurring role as the new coach of the Dillon High School football team, who takes over after Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) moves on to the college ranks at the fictional TMU (Chandler will still be front and center on the show, however).

The new coach, who arrives from outside Dillon, brings a my-way-or-the-highway approach with him and revamps the team's game plan. Naturally, this causes friction with some of the players, with new assistant coach Jason Street (Scott Porter) sometimes getting caught in the middle.

Mulkey is the third new face to join "Friday Night Lights" for the coming season. Glenn Morshower ("24") and Daniella Alonso ("One Tree Hill") will also have recurring parts as, respectively, Landry's (Jesse Plemons) police-officer dad and a nurse who helps Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) care for his grandmother (Louanne Stephens).

Mulkey co-starred in AMC's multiple Emmy nominee "Broken Trail" last year and also counts a recurring role on "Twin Peaks" and FOX's brilliant-but-cancelled comedy "Bakersfield PD" among his credits.

He's also appeared in the films "North Country," "Sugar Town" and "Behind Enemy Lines" and made guest appearances on such shows as "CSI," "Lost" and "Boomtown."