At Wilbur High School, Lewis was the fourth leading rusher with 209 yards in 42 carries. He was picked as one of the top high school backs in the country by Kickoff Magazine. At WVU, Lewis was the leading passer on freshman team in 1974. He completed 29 of 59 passes and five TDs. He was also the second leading rusher with 238 yards on 40 carries. In 1975, Kirk moved to quarterback as a sophomore; he was number two behind Ben Williams. His best asset was his running of the option play. In 1976, Kirk switched from quarterback to wider receiver. He played in eight games as a wide receiver while starting the final three contests and gained 280 yards by completing 25 of 47 passes. WVU Coach Bowden mentioned that "Kirk is a very versatile athlete one he gets the ball in his hands."