Cregg told Cable of his decision to leave the Raiders on Sunday night.
"Quite frankly, I'm disappointed by all these things, mostly by the fact that someone would quit on this organization, this football team and this head coach at this juncture," Cable said Monday. "It's wrong."
It's the latest between Kiffin and Raiders owner Al Davis -- a feud that started one year ago when Kiffin wanted to interview for the head-coaching job at the University of Arkansas before finishing his first season in Oakland.
Davis tried to get Kiffin to resign during the offseason, but the coach refused. Kiffin then spent the next months criticizing personnel and other decisions he said were made by Davis before being fired Sept. 30.
Davis called Kiffin a liar at the news conference announcing the firing and said he wouldn't pay the coach the remainder of his contract. Kiffin later filed a grievance to recover the approximately $2.6 million he was still owed under the deal.
Kiffin was introduced as Tennessee's new coach on Dec. 1, and now he has taken away one of Oakland's coaches.
"I think that's the wrong way to handle things," Cable said. "I think that anybody in their right mind would understand the college rules. They're in a dead period starting next weekend. So James' services are really only needed for the next five days, at which time we'll be done in a couple weeks. In terms of that, if James wanted to take a position, he should have at that time."
Cable said he was angry at Kiffin for taking a coach during the season and added that he planned to call Kiffin to confront him on the issue.
"It's wrong," Cable said. "Wrong in this business, wrong in the business of coaching."
A Tennessee spokeswoman declined to comment on Cregg's apparent hiring and Cable's criticisms of Kiffin.
Mark Jackson, whom Kiffin brought in as director of football development, also has left the team and will be paid for the remainder of his contract or until he finds another job. Cable also fired Kiffin's brother-in-law, Steve Reaves, who had been an office assistant with the team.
Cable, who was the Raiders offensive line coach before taking over for Kiffin, had shifted much of the day-to-day responsibility to Cregg as he focused on play-calling and running the entire team. Cable now must spend more time with the line, as well as on his other duties.
Cable said the linemen were particularly upset with Cregg's decision.
"You don't do that," he said. "You never quit. You never quit, I don't care what it is. You don't quit."
Cregg was one of three coaches who had worked with Kiffin before coming to the Raiders, spending one year together on the staff at Colorado State. Tight ends coach Kelly Skipper worked with Kiffin at Fresno State, and special teams coach Brian Schneider also was on the Colorado State staff with Kiffin.
Cable said he asked all his coaches if anyone else planned to leave and they all said they were staying for the remainder of the season.
Cable's status also is in limbo. He's 2-8 since taking over on an interim basis and has done little to warrant coming back next season.
"I'm just worried about today and the mentality and the mind-set of this football team," he said. "My future will take care of itself. I'm a good coach. I want to be the head coach here. I will just leave it at that."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
